Former owner of Riverbend Tavern goes to prison for drug trafficking

YOUNGSTOWN — A former bar owner, who pleaded guilty to 17 counts of drug trafficking at his bar, has been sentenced to 4 1⁄2 years in prison.

Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence today on John Messer, 59, of Raccoon Road, Austintown, owner of the former Riverbend Tavern on Poland Avenue.

The judge also fined him $10,000, ordered him to make $1,950 in restitution to the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force, which raided his bar Nov, 5, and ordered him to forfeit firearms and $5,707 in cash police seized.

For the complete story, see Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com