Man in standoff faces $40K bond, host of charges


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Williams

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

The 20-year-old North Side man involved in a standoff with police this week was surprised to learn he is facing a felony burglary charge after the Tuesday morning incident.

Kevon Williams, of Ohio Avenue, appeared Thursday for arraignment before Judge Elizabeth Kobly of Youngs-town Municipal Court. He is charged with burglary as well as misdemeanor charges of inducing panic, obstructing official business and interference with custody.

Prosecutors told the court Williams has past convictions for domestic violence, possession of drugs and a marijuana charge. He also has failed to appear for court on six occasions.

Judge Kobly set bond at a combined $40,000 on all the charges.

Williams appeared before Judge Kobly immediately after appearing before Judge James Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for a probation violation.

Court records show Williams to be on probation until November 2013 for possession of heroin and possession of crack cocaine. He will return to court Feb. 1 for a probation-violation hearing.

Williams was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon by Youngstown police and members of the SWAT team after a lengthy standoff on the North Side. It started with an early morning call to police by Williams’ ex-girlfriend for alleged domestic violence.

Within an hour of that call, police from Youngstown, Liberty, Howland and Boardman had cordoned off two blocks of Ohio Avenue in either direction from the house. A mobile-command station was set up, and officers, through a sound system, were repeatedly asking Williams to come out of the house peacefully.

Police said initially that five people were being held in the house, including Williams’ two children. Police also said there was word of a gun in the house, but no weapon was found in a subsequent search.

The charges pending against Williams were read at his Thursday morning arraignment, prompting Williams to ask the court why he was being charged with burglary.

Prosecutors explained the burglary charge stems from Williams’ leaving his apartment in the Ohio Avenue duplex and entering an upstairs apartment without permission from the occupant of that apartment.

Several people inside the house with Williams, including Ashawntay Heard, Williams’ current girlfriend and mother to one of the children, and Marvin Reese, a family member, said they were not held captive in the apartment. They said Williams’ former girlfriend called police and made a false complaint of domestic violence, starting the entire standoff situation.

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