Niles man posts bond after drug raid of home

By SHELBY SCHROEDER

Neighbors are unhappy that a man charged with trafficking is back home.

NILES — A resident who was arrested for having $30,000 worth of suspected marijuana in his home here has been released on bond, leaving neighbors concerned for their street.

Some neighbors said they were displeased that David Huerta, 29, of 140 Hartzell Ave., has been able to return after a Thursday evening raid of his home turned up more than 25 pounds of marijuana.

“We’re very upset because there’s a school down the street,” said a neighbor of Huerta’s, who asked to remain anonymous.

The school is Washington Elementary, which his less than a half-mile from the house Huerta owns. Because of the proximity between the home and school, Huerta was arrested on a count of trafficking in marijuana — a felony 2 offense.

He was arraigned Friday morning in Niles Municipal Court. He entered no plea and was released on $10,000 bond. No hearing date was set.

“It’s quite upsetting to know he’s been released,” the neighbor said. “It’s not a good sign to have something like this occurring in our neighborhood.”

Still, Niles Police Chief Bruce Simeone said the arrest is a right step toward cleaning up the community.

It was one of several big arrests made over the last several weeks by the Niles drug unit and the Trumbull-Ashtabula-Geauga Task Force, which are working toward hitting a lot of different houses, Simeone said.

TAG focuses on drug traffickers, gangs, firearm traffickers, and Homeland Security issues. Its efforts are funded through the state and member counties.

Simeone said officers were tipped off to the Huerta property by reports of unusual activity. After two months of investigation, including the use of undercover operatives to purchase marijuana from Huerta, a search warrant was obtained.

Simeone credited TAG’s operation and said his department also appreciates information from residents about suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

“There are no bounds now with drug [dealing] and that’s why we have to work together,” he said. “It’s always out there, but we want to send a message that if you’re doing it, we’re going to catch it.”

But neighbors said they want Huerta off their street.

“This is a beautiful neighborhood and we’ve never had any problems,” one neighbor said. “I sure hope it gets taken care of.”

sschroeder@vindy.com