Hotel seen as criminal nexus by officials no longer open

Officials were looking to shut down the hotel.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- A township hotel has closed it doors for good, and township officials are happy to see it gone.
The Knights Inn on Motor Inn Drive abruptly closed its doors Friday.
Police Chief Anthony Slifka said the hotel was having financial trouble. He also said owners may have been concerned about efforts by the township, in conjunction with the state attorney general's office, to have the hotel declared a nuisance and shut down.
"We have done investigations down there, had people using drugs down there, and we were working with the attorney general's office to have them closed," he said. "I am sure they knew about this. They were sent a letter some time ago."
As an example of the illegal activity police encountered at the hotel, Slifka points to an incident in March where a Girard teenage girl died after receiving illegal drugs from a man at the hotel.
Township administrator Pat Ungaro said the hotel was mostly used as an in-and-out spot for illegal activity, but a few people were staying there on a more long-term basis. He said he has spoken to several churches and organizations helping to find those people accommodations elsewhere.
Getting out the drugs
Ungaro said the township is taking steps to remove any establishment that allows drugs and other illegal activity. He said drugs have affected his family, and he does not want any other family to have similar experiences.
"There was a lot of drug activity there, and this has been going on for some time. We are trying to clean these things up," he said. "From my personal point of view, our family has just been devastated by drugs and [the township] is going after any and everybody where drug activity is taking place."
Ungaro's son, Sean, has been arrested on drug possession and possession of drug instrument charges.
Ungaro said he has talked to some developers who may be interested in projects at the hotel's current location if the property can be legally acquired.
"That was not a quality place, and we actually want it torn down," he added.
jgoodwin@vindy.com