Youngstown man faces charges tied to home invasion

YOUNGSTOWN — An East High Avenue man has been indicted on charges of attempted murder, aggravated burglary and felonious assault with firearm specifications in a Jan. 8 home invasion that left a 27-year-old East Dewey Avenue man critically wounded.

Lamarcus M. Belcher, 27, was indicted Thursday on the charges, which pertain to an incident in a house in the 900 block of McHenry Street, in which Phillip Johnson was shot in the stomach.

Witnesses said two men burst through the front door while two more kicked in the back door after a group of people argued in the home’s driveway.

Steven L. Belcher, 33, also of East High Avenue, and Sirtan Alli, 19, of Woodside Avenue, who were arrested when police stopped the car they occupied shortly after the shooting, were indicted on a charge of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle. Police said they found a loaded pistol and two revolvers in the car.

In another indictment, Mark C. Watts, of Cleveland, and Noah Williams of Kent, both 18, were charged with aggravated robbery in a Jan. 14 heist at Central Cash Ltd. on Market Street in Boardman.

In the same indictment, Donte L. Cole, 23, of Cleveland, was charged with tampering with evidence and receiving stolen property.

Shortly after the robbery, police said they stopped a sport-utility vehicle with the three men inside at Market Street and Midlothian Boulevard. Identifying Watts as the robber, an employee said Watts spoke about a transaction, said he didn’t want any trouble, and lifted his shirt to expose what appeared to be the butt of a gun.

Williams, who was driving, had earlier been in the store asking about a loan, the employee said. Cole was also in the SUV, police said.

For the complete story, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.