Man accused in child rape case was Youngstown city employee

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- A man who was indicted this month by a Mahoning County grand jury on child rape charges was an employee of the Youngstown Police Department and resigned his position amid the investigation of the charges against him.

Michael Alexander resigned from his position as a police mechanic in October when he was confronted with the investigation.

Alexander was indicted on April 18 on child rape charges. He is accused of sexually abusing the victim in June of 2018, when the victim was just 12 years old, according to the indictment in the case.

Also indicted in connection to the investigation is Ashely Cervello. She is charged with bribery, a third-degree felony and intimidation of a victim or witness, a first-degree misdemeanor.

The indictment in the case said Cervello is accused of offering a vehicle between October and April to someone to influence their testimony in an upcoming hearing and that she tried to “intimidate or hinder the victim of a crime” in filing charges.

Alexander had been a police mechanic since November 2000.

Patty Coller and Joe Gorman contributed to this report.

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