Nathan Olsen has no hope of ever being a free man.
Olsen, 41, was sentenced Thursday in Richland County Common Pleas Court to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 22½ years, for the October 2022 shooting death of Antonyo Powell, 29, outside a residence in the first block of Antibus Place.
Judge Phil Naumoff gave Olsen life without parole for aggravated murder, 11 years for discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises, 18 months for improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, and 10 more years for gun specifications. He made the sentences consecutive to each other.
"Mr. Olsen, this community has suffered a lot of death this year and preceding years, death that is unexplainable, that has given this community a bad name," Naumoff said. "In this matter, you became judge, jury and executioner. Vigilante justice doesn't work."
Reportedly 'consumed' home burglarized while children were there
According to trial testimony, Olsen was upset because he believed Powell burglarized his house while his children were sleeping a week before the fatal shooting.
Prosecutors showed photos of Powell that Olsen circulated on Facebook to more than 25 people. He made threats to kill Powell, saying the incident was "consuming" him. He was arrested Jan. 10 in South Carolina.
Olsen committed a drive-by shooting, firing nine shots and striking Powell seven times. According to his autopsy, Powell suffered 13 bullet holes.
Earlier this month, a jury also convicted Olsen of three counts of murder, improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or school safety zone and two counts of felonious assault. Those charges merged with others for sentencing purposes.
Defense attorney Aaron Schwartz asked the judge to give his client the hope of parole.
"One of the options is for life without the possibility of parole," Schwartz said. "I'm against that in any situation. The chance for parole allows somebody some hope in being productive while they're incarcerated."
Olsen, wearing a red and white jail jumpsuit to indicate he is a maximum-security inmate, declined to address the court. Schwartz told Naumoff the decision was for legal and appellant reasons.
The only person to speak on Powell's behalf was Nikki Cross, his aunt and someone who helped raise him.
Powell wore a red T-shirt with Powell's picture on the front and the names of four lost family members on the back, along with praying hands.
She said her sister also was murdered by a "weak person."
'You took his life like a thief in the night'
"You stole his life," Cross told Olsen as the defendant looked straight ahead. "You took his life like a thief in the night.
"He never even met his daughter. She will never know who her father is."
The child was born after Powell was murdered.
"I hope you never, ever get to see daylight again," Cross said. "I hope you never walk the streets because of what you done. You plotted; you strategized."
Cross said she wrote more in her victim impact statement but, "I'm going to be the better person and leave it like it is because you left us like we is, broken."
Prosecutor Jodie Schumacher, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Lauryn Calderhead, was the next to speak.
"Mr. Olsen is not deserving of hope," Schumacher told Naumoff. "Mr. Olsen didn't give Mr. Powell any hope when he laid there with 13 bullet holes in his body.
"This court has the opportunity to give hope to the citizens of Richland County, to the citizens of Mansfield, who have been repeatedly victimized by gun violence."
Schumacher referenced the 15-year-old boy who was home alone at the time of the shooting. Bullets entered the house, leaving him fearful and uneasy in the dark.
'Absolute disregard' for victim's family members
The prosecutor said Olsen showed "absolute disregard" for the teen or the family members who could have been home at the time.
Further, Schumacher said Olsen, who had five previous criminal convictions, was dealing drugs out of his home, a revelation that did not come out during the trial.
She urged the judge to give Olsen life without parole to "send a message of deterrence to those who continue to use guns."
As usual, the judge had the last word. Naumoff told Olsen he should have alerted police if he had evidence that Powell had burglarized his home.
"You took it upon yourself to end a person's life over a perceived wrongdoing," Naumoff said. "You thought what was done to you warranted a death sentence."
The judge told Olsen he could have given his condolences to Powell's family, even if he didn't want to jeopardize a possible appeal.
Naumoff declared Olsen a violent offender, but it became a moot point when he received a life sentence.
mcaudill@gannett.com
419-521-7219
X (formerly Twitter): @MarkCau32059251
