Former gridder pleads

A former Campbell High and Youngstown State University football star was sentenced to two years in prison this week for his role in a drug ring that operated out of the city.

Shawn Patton, 40, was given credit for 20 months served by U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio Judge Lesley Wells Monday. He pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute drugs.

Records show that members of the ring were supplied with drugs from New York City and Mexico that were brought to Youngstown. Dealers in Youngstown would either sell the drugs or trade them among other drug dealers, according to court records.

Patton was one of 33 people named in the indictment when it was issued in December of 2010.

In November of 2010, authorities seized a 13-pound shipment of methamphetamine sent from San Diego to Youngstown - the largest seizure of the drug in northern Ohio's history.

One of the middle men from Youngstown, authorities believe, was Brian Greene, 32, who was shot to death at a 45 Lauderdale Ave. home on March 29, 2010. Reports say Greene died in a drive-by shooting after being shot several times in the body and once in the head.

Greene and his girlfriend, Tremaine Mabry, 34, were getting large amounts of cocaine, marijuana and heroin from two men in New York to sell to drug dealers in the Youngstown area, authorities said.

As part of his plea agreement, Patton admitted to taking cocaine from a co-defendant for the purpose of selling it, court papers state, from January of 2006 to December of 2010.

Patton was also put on six years of probation after his release from prison.

He was a running back on the Penguins' 1994 NCAA Division I-AA title team.

orignally posted at tribtoday.com