News
Student May Get Diversion Program On Election Charge
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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An Ohio University student from Willoughby Hills who faces a felony charge of illegal voting will likely be placed into a diversion program, according to Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.
Anthony A. Colangelo, 23, was indicted on the fourth-degree felony after, according to the prosecution, he voted twice in last November’s election.
A trial is scheduled for February, but based on sentencing guidelines Colangelo would, at most, probably only face probation.
Colangelo allegedly voted absentee but also voted at the Athens County Board of Elections with a provisional ballot.
“According to the information we have from the defense, he didn’t think his vote got counted,” Blackburn said.
In the indictment, filed Nov. 12, it was asserted that Colangelo violated the revised code section against “voting or attempting to vote both by absent voter’s ballots…and by regular ballot at the polls at the same election…,” according to court documents.
Athens County has had issues in the past with election law violations, most recently OU student Timothy Zureick, who pleaded guilty in July to 23 felony charges after “obtaining false signatures” during a petition drive. He was sentenced to seven days in jail, along with five years of community control and 100 hours of community service.