5 people arrested on drug charges

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Officers charged five people with drug-related offenses after a series of raids Tuesday, including one suspect who hid drugs in a stove.

Three were arrested at 850 Mathews Road, where police found scales, syringes, spoons with drug residue, crack and heroin, among other items:

Joseph W. Loree, 58, of Catrina Place, is charged with possessing drug paraphernalia and drug-abuse instruments.

Cindy L. Thomas, 60, of Mathews Road, is charged with heroin drug abuse, permitting drug abuse and possessing drug-abuse instruments.

Damion Z. Thomas, 35, also of Mathews Road, is charged with trafficking in heroin in the vicinity of a juvenile and possessing drug-abuse instruments.

The police report lists Loree as the uncle of township Administrator Jason Loree.

Police also had a search warrant for 161 Melrose Ave., where they found bundles of money, digital scales with residue and two bags of cocaine.

Arnold G. Shiflett, 23, is charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officers then went to a Sheridan Road residence and discovered a digital scale with residue, a roll of Ohio Lottery paper and $3,840.

They later found two bags of heroin hidden behind the exhaust fan over the stove.

Police arrested 20-year-old Alfonso H. Brown III, who had $405 in his pants pocket, at the scene.

Brown is charged with possessing drug paraphernalia as well as trafficking in heroin over 50 unit-doses, a third-degree felony, and trafficking in heroin over bulk, a fourth-degree felony.