The incident occurred after the assault victim had driven off with the defendant’s vehicle.

CANTON A Stark County man will serve four to six years in prison for pointing a gun at a 15-year-old before locking him in his vehicle’s trunk and then posting brief footage of the beaten victim on social media.

Dominique T. Shearer, 30, pleaded guilty last week to first-degree felony kidnapping and second-degree felony felonious assault charges.

A second-degree felony count of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance was dismissed as part of a plea agreement with the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office.

On Dec. 27, Shearer forced the teen into his vehicle’s trunk at gunpoint, according to court records filed in the case by the prosecutor’s office.

The victim had been seen taking Shearer’s vehicle for a joyride after it had been left running unattended, said Stark County Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Petricini.

Shearer, along with two co-defendants, drove around the city, and during the incident, Shearer beat up the boy, stripped him naked and flashed a firearm at him multiple times, records said.

Shearer then used his cellphone to record brief video footage of the nude victim before posting it on social media, Petricini said.

Nudity-oriented charge dropped

Stark County Common Pleas Judge Natalie Haupt sentenced Shearer to four to six years in prison under the state’s indefinite sentencing law, which sets a minimum and maximum term dependent on conduct in prison.

Petricini said the plea agreement was reached because the victim was uncooperative with investigators and the teen feared retaliation.

The boy and his family also were difficult to reach for assistance with the case, he said.

Instrumental to the prosecution’s case was security video footage recorded from outside an apartment building in northeast Canton, the assistant prosecutor said.

Video showed Shearer putting the boy in the trunk and the firearm was visible, Petricini said.

The defendant and victim also were visible in the roughly 15-second video posted on Facebook, while showing a glimpse of the boy nude, the assistant prosecutor said.

The boy had been punched but was not hospitalized, Petricini said.

He said the charge related to nudity-oriented material was dropped because it wasn’t applicable under the law.

Shearer posted the video on Facebook in an effort to intimidate the victim, Petricini said. “It wasn’t created for any sexual purpose,” he said.

Two co-defendants have been charged in the case, including Robert L. Hall, 30, of Canton, who faces single counts of kidnapping and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies.

A warrant for Hall’s arrest was issued in January, according to court records.

A 16-year-old boy also could face charges in adult court stemming from Shearer’s case, Petricini said.