V-GRIP yields arrest of Warren man

WARREN — The Violence and Gun Reduction and Interdiction Program that brought together federal, state and local officers to combat violence over the summer has yielded another arrest.

Jimmy Stella, 31, of Warren had been stopped by an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper during Operation V-GRIP and was found in possession of suspected crack cocaine.

The suspected drugs were submitted to the lab for testing, and when the lab results confirmed the presence of cocaine a warrant was issued for Stella’s arrest.

About 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force located Stella at a home on 7th Street Southwest, Warren Township, and arrested him.

Information obtained during the arrest led officers to call the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Drug Task Force for assistance.

TAG investigators were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence and searched it later in the evening.

Items recovered during the search included five assault rifles, two handguns, numerous rounds of ammunition, a ballistic vest, $2,000 cash and a small amount of suspected marijuana and cocaine.

Stella was booked in to the Trumbull County Jail on the warrant for drug possession.

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