Guns, 2.5k cash, found during vice raid

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Vice-squad members serving a search warrant about 3:45 p.m. Thursday investigating drug activity found four guns and more than $2,500 cash.

Two of the guns were SKS assault rifles, a Chinese replica of the AK-47 as well as a .40-caliber handgun and a .45-caliber handgun.

Also found were two scales and small amounts of suspected heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

Arrested on drug and weapon charges was James Abanathey, 28, no address listed, and Darnell Jones, 30, of Helena Avenue.

Both were arraigned Friday in municipal court before Judge Robert Milich.

Jones, who federal court records show was sentenced to 51 months in prison in 2012 on drug charges, was given a bond of $125,000 on charges of possession of heroin, possession of cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Assistant City Prosecutor Shelli Freeze asked for the high bond, saying that she thought it was necessary because the weapons charge is the fourth Jones has faced at the state level as an adult, and she also noted he was recently released from serving his federal sentence.

Abanathey was given a bond of $45,000 on the same charges, plus a warrant for driving under suspension.

Court records show Abanathey has been to prison in 2013 and 2015 for drug charges, and the earlier sentence ran concurrent to a prison sentence for failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer that arose from a 2011 case.

The previous drug convictions for both men prohibit them from owning firearms.