Cops find pot, cash in raids

June 12, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Vice-squad officers serving search warrants investigating drug activity Tuesday found 36 bags of suspected marijuana in one home and more than$2,800 cash in another.

Officers also seized a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun and ammunition at the same 716 Lexington Ave. home where they found the suspected marijuana.

Police served a warrant at that home about 5:55 p.m. Tuesday. Reports said Melvin Tate, 47, of Youngstown, told police all the drugs in the home were his. He was taken to the Mahoning County jail on charges of trafficking in drugs/marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Officers found 31 bags of suspected marijuana in a single bowl, reports said. There also was $564 cash inside and a used syringe, reports said.

At a 130 Lauderdale Ave. home officers searched at 7:12 p.m., they found $2,823 in cash, pills, a bag of suspected heroin and a bag of suspected crack cocaine. Arrested there was 32-year-old William Williams of Youngstown on charges of possession of drugs/heroin, possession of drugs/cocaine and possession of dangerous drugs.

Also found inside the home was a bulletproof vest and a bag of white powder, reports said. Reports also said Williams admitted everything in the home belonged to him.

Police also served a warrant at 3125 Orrin St. about 5 p.m., and when they arrived, there were several people on the front porch, reports said. Reports also said that Jamar Burkley, 33, of Austintown, threw a plastic bag of suspected crack cocaine into the yard when officers arrived.

Inside, police found another bag of suspected crack cocaine, 20 pills and $393 cash on Burkley. Another person in the home, DeShawn Vaughn, 35, had $684, reports said. Vaughn was arrested on charges of possession of drugs and tampering with evidence and taken to the jail. Burkley was arrested on charges of possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drugs/cocaine and also taken to the jail.