Man arrested on nine housing code violations


By Joe Gorman

jgorman@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

A man wanted on warrants for nine housing- code violations pleaded not guilty Thursday to the charges in municipal court.

Brandon Miller, 29, of Pointview Avenue, is due back in court for a pretrial hearing before Judge Elizabeth Kobly.

He was arrested Wednesday afternoon by Community Police Unit officers who were doing crime sweeps of his area. He was booked into the Mahoning County jail. He later was released from the jail on his own recognizance and then appeared at his arraignment before Judge Robert Milich.

Six of the violations deal with Miller’s property while three other violations deal with vehicles on his property, according to a complaint signed by Abigail Benniston, the city’s code enforcement officer.

According to the complaint, there is trash scattered throughout Miller’s front and back yards and driveway; his driveway is not a smooth surface but appears to be a makeshift drive filled with debris; some of the steps are missing to the porch and those that are there need paint; and several windows are not properly installed.

As for the vehicles, they have flat tires or no tires and one has an expired license plate.

Court records show Miller has been charged with code violations before. In January, he was found guilty after pleading no contest to a charge of having excessive trash and was fined.

In August 2013 he was fined and placed on one year’s probation after pleading no contest and being found guilty of littering on his own property.

In a separate case in April of the same year he was found guilty of a littering offense. He was issued a fine in that case.