Youngstown man faces gun charges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A city man was arraigned Wednesday on weapons and drug charges after a trooper from the Ohio State Highway Patrol barracks in Canfield found a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the man’s car.

Kevin Kuszewski, 23, is in Mahoning County jail on $22,500 bond on charges of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The state trooper pulled Kuszewski over for speeding on Interstate 680 North about 2:05 p.m. Monday, reports said. Reports said the trooper noticed several pill bottles in the car and that Kuszewski told the trooper he did not have a license. He was searched, and the trooper found a bullet in his pocket, reports said.

Troopers then searched the car and found the pistol in the glove box. Additionally, one of the pills was a hydrocodone pill that Kuszewski admitted buying, reports said. He said he has the gun because he was shot at a West Side store and wanted it for protection.