Former cop, Austintown Trustee Steve Kent seeks early release from prison

YOUNGSTOWN - Former Austintown trustee and ex-police officer Steve Kent has once again asked a Mahoning County judge for early release from jail, according to a court filing.
Kent’s attorney, A. Ross Douglass, filed a motion for judicial release with Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge John Durkin.
This marks Kent’s second attempt at early release. Judge Durkin previously denied a similar motion filed by Kent in December.
Kent was sentenced to a year in jail after being convicted of tampering with evidence related to his cell phone in a case involving a former Poland student. He was acquitted of three other charges, including sexual battery.
Kent was released from the Mahoning County Jail for nearly a year while his case was under appeal. However, the Seventh District Court of Appeals upheld his conviction for tampering with evidence, disagreeing with the defense’s argument that the state had not sufficiently proven its case.
Kent’s expected release date or parole eligibility date is September 11, 2025. It is now up to Judge Durkin to consider Kent’s latest request for judicial release. A hearing date on the matter has not yet been announced.