A Youngstown woman who was found guilty in October of endangering her son, as well as domestic violence, learned her fate Tuesday. 

Fifty-one-year-old Staci Gilmore was sentenced to three years of probation and must continue to receive mental health treatment. Before walking free Gilmore must serve 55 more days behind bars to complete a total of eight months. She was also ordered to have no contact with her son.

If Gilmore violates the terms of her probation, she could face three years in prison.

Gilmore, who called herself a "beacon in the community" during her sentencing Tuesday, was found guilty of two counts of child endangering, one count of domestic violence and one reduced count of unlawful restraint in October of 2025.

"I do respect the justice system and I hope that they be lenient on me because I am not a criminal. I am a beacon to this community. I help people that are on drugs I have gave them places to sleep. I gave them money and stuff. If I sit up at a store I council to them and everything so I have helped this community,” Gilmore said in court as she shielded her face with her hands to avoid cameras.

The charges stem from a Boardman Police Department investigation that began in February of 2023, when an 11-year-old boy was found unsupervised at Target. Police said the boy had been in the store for several hours.

According to police, the boy said he had not eaten all day and that his mother, identified as Gilmore, allowed him to go to the store after he finished his homework.

The boy also told police Gilmore would abuse him by tying him up in the basement, put an unknown substance in his drink to make him sleep and hit him with cords and pipes. Gilmore said during the trial that her son would leave the house without her permission for attention but she always tried to find him and bring him back home. 

Gilmore had a prior history with the Youngstown Police Department regarding child abuse dating back to 2019.

Gilmore said in court she plans to appeal the sentence. Friends and family supporting her in the courtroom oppose her filing an appeal.