Fellows convicted and sentenced

STEUBENVILLE - Brian Fellows, 33, of Brilliant was convicted Wednesday of attempted murder, kidnapping and felonious assault and was sentenced by Jefferson County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr. to 16 years in prison.

The jury deliberated about 90 minutes before returning with the verdicts.

Fellows was arrested Jan. 7 after entering the apartment of his former girlfiend in the 400 block of Main Street, Wintersville. When the victim, Lori DeStefano, arrived home, she was greeted at the top of the steps by Fellows. Fellows pulled out a gun, and, during his testimony on the stand Wednesday, said he was just attempting to talk to DeStefano.

The victim fell onto the floor, according to her testimony, and Fellows placed the barrel of the gun against her chest. Because of a safety feature on the semiautomatic handgun, the gun didn't fire. DeStefano said she heard the click of the gun.

Fellows testified he pushed DeStefano backwards over a bench and held her down with his forearm. He said he never pointed the gun at her.

Fellows then fired a shot into the dining room floor and left the apartment.

Bruzzese said Fellows, according to his testimony, seemed to believe everything he did that day, with the exception of the shot into the floor was OK.

"I see no semblance of remorse, other than I got caught and something bad is going to happen to me," the judge said.

Bruzzese said he believed what the victim went through as far as the kidnapping was the worst form of the offense.

"I can't imagine going through what the victim went through and the problems she is going to have for a long time," the judge said.

Fellows, who was offered six years in prison prior to the trial if he pleaded gulty, said will appeal his conviction.

Fellows was a former corrections officer at the Jefferson County jail and had attended the Ohio police officer academy at Jefferson Community College.

See more in Thursday's Herald-Star.