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Ravenna employee fired after last chance

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Colin McEwen
March 7, 2009

By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
A Ravenna city employee has been fired after he violated the terms of his "last chance" agreement with the city. This time he is accused of domestic violence stemming from a Feb. 7 incident in Ravenna.
In November, the city placed Willie Berry, a water plant operator, on probation for committing felony burglary in 2007. He was later found to be "misusing" city computers.
His most recent transgression occurred when a complaint of domestic violence was filed against him Feb. 7, according to court records. Berry has pleaded not guilty to the charge and a hearing is set for March 27 in the Portage County Municipal Courtroom of Judge Barbara Watson. There is also a charge of menacing in Summit County, stemming from the same alleged incident.
"I believe in innocence until proven guilty, but the conduct alone left me no choice but to terminate him," said Ravenna Mayor Kevin Poland. "The charges violated the terms of the agreement that we implemented several months ago."
Poland said the city had been lenient with Berry because he is an Iraq War veteran and has two young children. Part of the agreement included that Berry undergo counseling.
According to court records, confirmed by Poland, Berry unlawfully entered a South Diamond Street residence and threatened a family member in July 2007.
One year later, Berry pleaded guilty to a third-degree felony charge of burglary. He was sentenced to one year of probation.
In the fall of 2008, city officials learned after an investigation that he was misusing city computers on "several" occasions, visiting Web sites not allowed during work hours, including gaming sites.




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    Posted by <3monkey<3 March 9, 2009
2kids? Wonder where is has been hiding that second one? This man needs to be put in jail! He has a violent history and probation obviously isnt helping him out at all!! Lock him up until he learns you dont put your hands on other people!

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