If all goes the way of one Fred E. Joseph Jr., that violent, psychopathic, unrepentant and incorrigible killer of a respected Niles police officer could be free to menace Mahoning Valley streets again as early as Sept. 1.

That frightening scenario must never be allowed to play out. That’s why the Ohio Adult Parole Authority must unanimously and unequivocally deny parole for Joseph at his upcoming July hearing.

As many older Valley residents will readily recall, Joseph, then 17, and his accomplice Randy Fellows, 18, arranged an undercover meeting on local drug activity with Niles officer John Utlak in a dark Mineral Ridge parking lot on Dec. 8, 1982. But instead of sharing information on illicit narcotics dealing, Joseph unloaded a round of bullets into Utlak’s head, killing him instantly.

The two hoodlums were captured days later in Wyoming, were tried and found guilty of aggravated murder and robbery, and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison.

Flash forward 43 years, and that now 60-year-old monster has not changed his stripes. That clear fact rises as Reason No. 1 why Joseph must remain securely locked up till death do him part.

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, a longtime passionate opponent of leniency toward Joseph and other murderous miscreants, has gathered an extensive dossier that clearly documents that Joseph remains a clear and present danger to corrections officers and others.

In an accompanying letter to the parole board, Watkins states, “Incredibly after over 40 years of rehabilitative efforts by DRC (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction), the records show that he has even escalated his vicious attacks, both physically and verbally, against correction officers.

Between Aug. 31, 2021 and April 13, 2026, the revered county prosecutor cited 27 prison infractions committed by Joseph, of which he was found guilty of 46 separate violations.

As recently as this April, he was charged with creating a disturbance and threatening state property after he loudly banged a crash gate back and forth while screaming loudly and vulgarly at those trying to subdue him. Another infraction from December 2023 reported Joseph used a closed fist to hit an officer in the face. Multiple other infractions cite Joseph with savage outbursts of sexist, racist and homophobic epithets at those who crossed his path.

Perhaps most chilling, however, are Joseph’s demented predictions of what he plans to do lickety-split should the state irresponsibly grant him freedom.

He shared those thoughts several years ago with Doug Sollitto, Niles City Council president who once worked as a prison guard overseeing Joseph: “When I get out, I’m going to sit across from the Niles Police Department and shoot the first five cops that come out the door. … All they can do is bring me back here.”

Clearly, Watkins did not mince words when telling the parole board, “In my decades of experience of prosecuting violent offenders, I have never seen such year after year documentation of a prisoner acting out so much hate against others.”

Despite such clear-cut evidence that devilish Joseph deserves no sympathy or even one millisecond of freedom, some rightfully worry about the scales of justice tipping too far away from victim protection and too close toward criminal coddling.

Consider two cases in point. First, the parole board for the first time has prohibited Bob Ludt, Utlak’s patrol partner on that fateful December 1982 night, from meeting in person with board members — limiting such testimony only to family members of the victim. Watkins rightfully wonders in disdain why a murder victim cannot bring the partner and friend of a dead police officer to a hearing, but convicted murderers are granted the right to bring calming comfort animals with them.

Reason No. 2 for concern? Since Joseph’s initial incarceration, he has received considerable earned credits and “good time” thanks to prisoner-friendly reforms in state law over the past four decades. In addition, Watkins’ report notes Joseph’s Risk Score (for recidivism) has dropped dramatically from moderately high-risk 12 in 2021 to relatively low-risk 4 today. That new score, according to the prosecutor, places him on the cusp of suitability for release.

Given the severity of his gruesome crime, given his long and continuing record of violent and criminal acts inside prison, and given the galling impact his release would have on Utlak’s family and friends, the parole board would commit a misguided miscarriage of justice by freeing Joseph to terrorize police and others as he has vowed to do.

To better guard against such bedlam, we encourage others to flood the parole board with their strong opposition to parole for Fred E. Joseph Jr., inmate No. 174221 at the Toledo Correctional Institution. Do so easily by accessing the Ohio DRC’s Parole Board Hearing Input portal by Googling “Ohio Parole Board” AND input.

Do so today to help ensure this violent, mean-spirited, unrepentant, vicious, bigoted, foul-mouthed cop killer stays out of harm’s way — permanently.

Offer input on parole for cop killer Fred E. Joseph Jr. here.