Keylon White Man Sentenced for Shooting Death of James Merchant in Youngstown

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A man who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for a shooting death last year on the North Side was sentenced Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to 8 to 12 years in prison.

Keylon White, 29, was sentenced by Judge Maureen Sweeney after pleading guilty in April to involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 9 shooting death of James Merchant, also 29.

Merchant was shot in an SUV parked in a driveway on Alameda Avenue.

White was a suspect early in the investigation and was indicted in October by a grand jury.

Deputy Prosecutor Patrick Fening requested a sentence of 8 to 12 years. Fening said Merchant and White were arguing over a woman when Merchant was killed.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” Fening said. “This could have been resolved.”

Fening said a manslaughter plea was offered because Meechant had a gun in his vehicle when he was shot.

Defense attorney Ron Yarwood asked for a sentence of four to six years. He said his client knew he was under police investigation and never fled. When he was charged, he surrendered.

White apologized.

“Things could have been different,” White said. “I wish they were.”