Summit County authorities are looking for a 50-year-old Cuyahoga Falls man wanted on felony warrants for strangulation, domestic violence, and violating a protection order. William Lenkey, born June 25, 1976, is described as bald with blue eyes, standing six feet tall and weighing 150 pounds. His last known address is on Stone Street in Cuyahoga Falls, and investigators are asking the public for help locating him.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office named Lenkey in its weekly "#WarrantWednesday" post on Wednesday, asking anyone with information on his location to call the Detective Bureau at (330) 643-2131. The bulletin, as is typical for the office's Wednesday feature, also urged residents to download the sheriff's office's mobile app for direct push notifications on future warrants and other public-safety alerts.
Cuyahoga Falls, listed as Lenkey's last known address, is Summit County's second-largest city, with a population of about 50,900 as of 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The suburb sits just north of Akron and forms one of the county's major population centers.
Ohio's Felony Strangulation Law Raises The Stakes
The strangulation charge against Lenkey stems from a relatively recent change in Ohio law. In 2023, Ohio Senate Bill 288 took effect, reclassifying non-fatal strangulation from a misdemeanor assault into a standalone felony, making Ohio the last state in the country to do so, according to Forensic. State lawmakers passed the measure after research linked non-fatal strangulation to a significantly higher risk of subsequent lethal violence in domestic disputes.
Violating a protection order carries its own penalties under Ohio law. A first offense is classified as a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail, with repeat violations escalating to felony charges, per LHA. Ohio law enforcement officers are required to enforce valid temporary or civil protection orders once they've been confirmed.
Summit County's Push For Earlier Intervention
Summit County operates Ohio's first specialized felony Domestic Violence Intervention Court, certified in 2019 by the Supreme Court of Ohio to manage high-risk domestic violence and protection-order violation cases, according to the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. The specialized docket combines intensive probation monitoring with targeted rehabilitation programs.
That framework has come under new scrutiny. A June report from the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center noted a rise in domestic violence-related homicides in Summit County, prompting local prosecutors and victim support organizations to push for earlier law enforcement intervention in domestic disputes. Advocates say early involvement is key to preventing fatal outcomes.
The problem isn't confined to Summit County. Ohio's domestic relations courts received 24,876 filings for domestic violence and dating violence protection orders statewide in 2022, according to Court News Ohio, underscoring how frequently courts intervene in cases like the one now facing Lenkey.
Federal Task Force And App Alerts Aid The Search
Tracking down suspects like Lenkey often involves resources beyond the county line. The sheriff's office's Warrants Unit works with the U.S. Marshals Service through the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force to apprehend individuals wanted on outstanding violent felony warrants. Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, who took office in January 2021 as the county's first female sheriff, oversees more than 500 deputies and civilian staff across Ohio's fourth-largest county.
The mobile app promoted alongside Wednesday's bulletin gives residents real-time public safety updates, inmate search capabilities, warrant notices, and sex offender registry access, according to its Google Play listing — though officials note emergencies should still be reported via 911. It's a pitch the sheriff's office has made before: Hoodline previously covered a similar app-linked alert naming an Akron woman wanted on breaking and fentanyl possession charges. The warrants against Lenkey remain allegations, and he has not been convicted of any of the charges.
