Deputy pleads innocent to drug charge

YOUNGSTOWN — A Mahoning County sheriff’s deputy has pleaded innocent to a fifth-degree felony charge of permitting drug abuse. She had been indicted by the county grand jury on April 9.

Deputy Angela Eaddy, 53, a nine-year county employee, entered her plea Tuesday before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, who released her on her own recognizance. A tentative trial date was set for July 6 before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney. Eaddy has retained Atty. J. Gerald Ingram to represent her.

The indictment alleges Eaddy permitted drug abuse at her residence at 56 Garfield St., where police said they seized drug paraphernalia and guns in a March 31 raid. Eaddy has been on paid administrative leave from the sheriff’s department since the raid. Her most recent assignment there was to road patrol.

An informant made controlled buys of crack cocaine for police at Eaddy’s house in September 2008 and in January and March of this year, police said.