Not guilty plea in false alarm and obstruction case

BOARDMAN

A township man accused of falsely reporting a robbery after accidentally shooting himself in the hand pleaded not guilty to making false alarms and obstructing official business. 

Vernon Johnson, 21, of Prestwick Drive, appeared in Mahoning County Area Court here today, where he also faces felony charges of possessing a weapon while being prohibited from doing so, and receiving stolen property. 

Johnson will be back in court for a preliminary hearing, the date for which has yet to be set, on those charges. 

The weapons under disability charge stems from the fact that Johnson is under felony indictments in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for possession of cocaine, tampering with evidence, carrying concealed weapons and aggravated possession of drugs and therefore cannot carry a weapon, according to a police report. 

The bond he previously posted was continued.