PROVIDENCE – Former U.S. congressional candidate Michael Neary plead guilty to a pair of charges in an Ohio court back in October stemming from an arrest in the Buckeye State back in March.
Neary, a lifelong member of the Coventry and West Warwick communities, on Oct. 6 pleaded guilty in Miami County, Ohio, Municipal Court to amended charges of attempted menacing by stalking and willful or wanton disregard of safety of persons or property, according to online court records. Neary on March 23 was arrested in Ohio and was initially charged with menacing by stalking, drug possession and marijuana drug paraphernalia, according to the sheriff’s office’s online incarceration records.
Neary, per court records, was given a 60-day suspended sentence for the attempted stalking charge and a 30-day suspended sentence for the disregard of safety charge. He stays out of jail if Neary does not repeat those offenses within the next two years as part of the plea agreement.
Neary also pleaded no contest to the alleged drug charges against him and the charge was dismissed.
His campaign as a Democrat for U.S. Congress to succeed Rep. James R. Langevin – a race that was won by Seth Magaziner in November – began in February. But Neary’s arrest came a month after his campaign launched.
Neary subsequently dropped out of the race in May.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
