Held on drug charges

Held on drug charges

YOUNGSTOWN — Police officers working a street crime unit arrested a man they saw involved in a suspected drug transaction at a known drug house on Willis Avenue.

Officers said they saw a car driven by a woman pull into the driveway of the house around 10 p.m. Thursday. A man got out and knocked on the door and was admitted. Police said they witnessed some sort of transaction take place through the open doorway.

The man, later identified as Melvin L. Barrett, 51, of Glenwood Avenue, returned to the car, and it pulled away. Police said they stopped it when the driver failed to use her turn signals as she turned onto Overland Avenue.

Barrett admitted having drugs in his possession, police said, noting that they found three small plastic bags containing suspected crack cocaine and a broken glass crack pipe in his pants pockets.

He was charged with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia and lodged in Mahoning County jail to await arraignment. The driver was not charged.

Duplex struck by 2nd fire

YOUNGSTOWN — Fire and heavy smoke were visible when firefighters arrived at 34 W. Philadelphia Ave., a boarded-up, two-story, two-family dwelling on the South Side, at 11:15 p.m. Thursday.

The fire started in the kitchen area of one apartment. Reports show the place had been boarded up due to a previous fire. Damage was set at $10,000.

The cause is under investigation.

Authorities seek fugitive

A woman who once lived on Youngstown’s North Side is wanted in a counterfeit payroll check ring.

Melissa Grier is wanted by the Licking County Sheriff’s office for failure to appear for trial this week.

Her last known address was 1501 Ohio Ave. She may be staying with friends in central Ohio or even in a hotel, where she was arrested previously.

Tips about her whereabouts should be phoned to your local law enforcement agency.

Grier was indicted with the assistance of the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. She is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, grand theft, possession of criminal tools, ID fraud and forgery.