Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Photo
DeWine
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
Ohio Attorney Gen. Mike DeWine and local officials called last week’s three-day Fugitive Safe Surrender program here a success.
A total of 212 people surrendered to police officers on a total of 240 warrants during the event, which was Thursday, Friday and Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave.
Of that total, only seven people and seven warrants pertained to felony cases, with the remainder of the warrant activity pertaining to misdemeanor charges.
“Most of the people who turned themselves in had the chance to clear low-level warrants,” DeWine said.
“By clearing these warrants, many participants can now begin the process of turning their lives around without worrying about being arrested.”
Most of the warrants cleared were on charges such as contempt of court, failure to appear in court for traffic violations, and failure to pay fines. Many of the 46 people who surrendered without warrants owed court fees.
Law-enforcement officials took eight people into custody. One of those arrested, Brittany Morgan, 22, of Warren, had been listed this month on The Vindicator’s Top 5 Most Wanted list on an allegation of possession of criminal tools.
Others arrested were wanted on charges such as failure to pay child support and passing bad checks.
“We could not have pulled off such a successful operation without the help of the local police and government workers,” said DeWine.
“Nearly 100 volunteers worked long hours to help everyone who walked through the doors.”
It was the first Mahoning County Fugitive Safe Surrender program to be sponsored by the attorney general’s office.
A similar program took place this summer in Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
Agents with the AG’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations were assisted by officers with the Youngstown, Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring police departments, as well as officials with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and clerk of courts, Youngstown Municipal Court and clerk of courts, Mahoning County Area Courts, Ohio BMV, and First Presbyterian Church.
People entering the church went before a municipal or county court judge or magistrate, with the vast majority of defendants leaving without being jailed.
The county bar association provided volunteer defense lawyers for the event, and mental-health agency representatives stood by to help anyone surrendering with problems related to mental illness or alcohol or drug abuse.
“It was very impressive the way everybody worked together,” said Kathi McNabb-Welsh, chief deputy county clerk of courts.
By far the busiest day was Saturday, a fact which she attributed, in part, to the word on the street from those who surrendered Thursday and Friday who commented favorably about the program and were not jailed.
“People could come in and get a probation violation or a court cost [debt] situation squared away, and we’d give them a release to get their driver’s license back. They’d immediately turn around and there’s the BMV [Bureau of Motor Vehicles],” McNabb-Welsh said.
“It was run very smoothly. A lot of preparation went into it. There was pretty much every aspect of law enforcement that would be needed,” said Rebecca Doherty, chief of the criminal division in the county prosecutor’s office.
“The judges appreciated the fact that these people wanted to come in and clear up their warrants no matter what it was,” she added.
Staff writer Peter H. Milliken contributed to this story.