Youngstown man faces charges tied to home invasion

A man was shot in the
stomach in the home
invasion.

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

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.

Others indicted were:

UMaurice D. Johnson, 24, of East Auburndale Avenue, three counts of rape.

U Curtis O. Daye, 59, of West Marion Avenue, two counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition.

U Larry Robinson, 43, and Lisa R. Bradley, 36, both of Bott Street, theft.

U Shane C. Champney, 25, of Ardendale Lane, Boardman, robbery with a repeat violent-offender specification.

U Elijah J. Taylor, 28, of Mistletoe Avenue, two counts of robbery and one count of receiving stolen property.

U John Gooden, 46, of Hudson Avenue, improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

U Keith D. Lomax, 50, of Benita Avenue, breaking and entering and possessing criminal tools.

U Michael Marsh, 30, of Warren-Sharon Road, Vienna, deception to obtain dangerous drugs.

U James Simmons, 23, who listed addresses on Ferndale or Wilma avenues, failure to comply with a police order.

U Isaac M. Moon, 24, of East Earle Avenue, burglary and possessing criminal tools.

U Anibal Colon, 33, of Lorain, Ohio, receiving stolen property.

U Bradley J. Foley, 50, of Brunswick Road, cocaine possession.

U Eric M. Heims, 36, of Terrace Drive, New Castle, cocaine possession.

U Daniel Mikkelson, 37, of Detroit Avenue, domestic violence.

U Troy Keslar, 26, of Ranier Trail, tampering with evidence and cocaine possession.

U David Diehl III, 29, of Green Acres Drive, Liberty, cocaine possession and being a convicted felon with a gun.

U Ray E. Brown II, 27, of Cook Avenue, Boardman, cocaine possession with a forfeiture specification.

U Jared A. Clark, 29, of Parkway Street, Struthers, theft.

U Arthur Horn, 54, of East Garfield Road, Petersburg, theft of drugs.