YOUNGSTOWN Accused were in court before

Two of the eight men are not in custody, according to jail officials.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Eight South Side men accused of controlling crack sales on West Glenaven Avenue are no strangers to the criminal justice system.
Two men remain at large, jail officials said. Five were in U.S. District Court on Wednesday for pretrial detention hearings.
Steven L. Jackson, an assistant U.S. attorney, argued that they should remain in federal custody pending trial. All eight were indicted last week, charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute crack cocaine.
U.S. Magistrate Judge George J. Limbert set bonds for some and ordered that others remain in jail pending trial.
Held without bond are Allister R. Green, Jason N. Heard and Jauwan Tate, who waived his right to a detention hearing. Court papers show a different middle initial for Heard, which the prosecutor has said is a typographical error.
Bond was set at $50,000 for Victor A. Jackson and Abron Hobby. They are also subject to electronic monitoring as a condition of bond, the court said.
Andre Mason's detention hearing is Monday.
Not in custody yet are Matthew M. Condrey and Marcus W. Scott, jail officials said.
If convicted, all face a mandatory minimum of 10 years to a maximum life in prison, without parole, and $4 million fine.
Various charges
A check of Youngstown Municipal Court and Mahoning County Common Pleas Court records by The Vindicator revealed the following:
* Green, 30, has charges pending in municipal court that include drug paraphernalia and failure to register, insure and confine vicious dogs. The clerk's office said that when Green appears in Judge Robert P. Milich's court July 30, he will be provided with a warrant never processed in 1998, found Wednesday by the newspaper. The charge is failure to confine vicious dogs.
Green has had convictions for obstructing official business, drug abuse, assault and failure to register vicious dogs. His jail days total about six months, about half of which were imposed because he violated probation.
Dave Nelson, Animal Charity humane investigator, said Wednesday that he and Mahoning County dog wardens have been to Green's West Glenaven home several times in response to reports of pit bulls' running loose. Nelson recalled that a year ago, drugs and guns were found hidden in a doghouse on the street.
UMason, 32, had a felonious assault charge bound over to common pleas court in November 2000. His trial is June 19.
UCondrey, 28, has been convicted of resisting arrest, of driving without a valid license three times and for loud music twice. In December 2001, Judge Milich gave Condrey 180 days in jail, suspended 102 and gave him credit for 18 days served. The sentence covered the conviction for resisting arrest and two of the license convictions. The judge also placed Condrey on two years' probation. Condrey owes about $1,000 in past-due fines and costs.
UTate, 24, had charges of carrying a concealed weapon and illegal possession of a weapon bound over to common pleas court May 15. He was indicted on the charges and received a summons June 7.
Tate has had four drug abuse convictions in municipal court the past two years. He paid fines only.
In April 2001, a felony weapons charge was reduced to a misdemeanor. Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. gave Tate 180 days in jail, suspended 175 days and gave him credit for five days served.
The judge also placed Tate on two years' reporting probation and ordered that the weapon be forfeited.
Tate still has two charges pending since May 6 in municipal court -- illegal consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle and failure to comply with a police order. A pretrial has been set for July 29.
UHobby, 20, has a court date of June 18 on a charge of driving without a valid license that was filed Feb. 23. Four months earlier, on Oct. 17, 2001, Municipal Judge Elizabeth E. Kobly reduced a charge of driving without a valid license, gave him 90 days in jail, suspended it all, placed him on six months' nonreporting probation and ordered him to maintain a valid license.
UHeard, 28, has convictions of obstructing official business, drug abuse, criminal simulation (a form of deception with purpose to defraud), driving without a valid license and other traffic-related charges for which he received no jail time. He owes $290 in past-due fines and costs.
UScott, 28, had a drug abuse charge bound over to common pleas court in August 1999 and pleaded guilty to attempted possession of cocaine in September 2000. He received a six-month sentence, all of which was suspended. His probation expired in December 2001.
UJackson, 25, has had two loud music convictions -- in June and September 2001. He paid fines only.
The crack sales investigation, code named "Tru Soulja," was conducted by the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force gang unit. The unit includes officers with the Youngstown Police Department and Mahoning County Drug Task Force and agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
meade@vindy.com