The 11th District Court of Appeals decided that Meko Howard's appeal holds some merit.

Howard has been incarcerated at Belmont Correctional Institution since April 17, 2024 and is currently serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence.

The Trumbull County resident pleaded guilty to one count of possession of fentanyl-related compounds, one count of having weapons while under disability and one count of tampering with evidence.

In the appeal written by Judge John Eklund and concurred by Judges Robert Patton and Matt Lynch, the court found that the trial court never informed Howard of the effect of a guilty plea.

When it came time for his plea hearing Howard did not include a complete admission of guilt in his statements, which is required.

The court ordered the case be sent back to the point of error during the plea hearing before Judge Sean O'Brien of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.