Youngstown man charged with illegal use of food stamps

Staff report

CAMPBELL

Among the arrests made by city police during a Sunday morning sobriety checkpoint was that of 25-year-old Rondell Thomas of Kenmore Avenue, Youngstown, who was charged with the illegal use of food stamps or Women, Infants and Children program benefits, a fifth-degree felony.

Thomas also was charged with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia after police found two marijuana joints and four plastic bags used for transporting drugs in the car’s center console.

Total bond for the three charges was set at $8,250, 10 percent cash or surety, in Campbell Municipal Court on Tuesday morning. Thomas’ next court appearance is next Tuesday.

According to the police report, Thomas was stopped by police shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Police immediately noticed the smell of burnt marijuana coming from the car and also noticed small plastic bags throughout it, according to a police report.

During the search of the car, officers found the suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia, along with an Ohio Direction card that did not belong to Thomas on the driver’s seat. Thomas told police he bought it for “50 cents on the dollar” from another man.