Boardman man charged with multiple felonies following drug raid

Staff report

A Boardman man appeared in Mahoning County Area Court here on Tuesday for arraignment on multiple felony charges stemming from a drug raid at his township residence Friday.

Melvin Land, 20, was arrested Friday morning after police obtained a search warrant and found heroin, pills, shotgun shells, a shotgun and drug paraphernalia at his apartment on the 7000 block of West Boulevard Drive, according to a police report.

Land is charged with trafficking heroin in the vicinity of a juvenile, tampering with evidence, weapons under disability, a felony count of possession of drugs, a misdemeanor count of possession of drugs, possession of dangerous drugs and endangering children. He pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge of possession of drugs.

The endangering children charge is because when officers entered Land’s apartment, police said he reached for his 1-year-old daughter, picked her up and used her as a shield as he backed away from the officers.

During the arrest, Land disobeyed orders from officers, struggled, and stepped on a bag of heroin to prevent officers from getting to it, according to the report.

Land admitted ownership of the heroin and pills, police said. He also directed officers to a shotgun in his apartment.

Police seized $504 during the raid.

Land was taken to the Mahoning County jail after his arrest. He is scheduled for another court appearance Jan. 27.