Heroin found on two during traffic stop

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Two people were arraigned in municipal court Friday on possession of heroin charges after they were arrested Thursday during a traffic stop.

Visiting Judge Barbara Watson set bond at $5,000 for Lee Miller, 23, of East Palestine, who was arraigned on charges of possession of heroin and possession of a drug-abuse instrument; and $5,000 for Jessica Kiehl, 30, no address available, on charges of possession of heroin, possession of a drug-abuse instrument and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The two were passengers in a car pulled over about 1:45 p.m. at South and East Avondale avenues by Community Police Unit officers Jose Morales Jr. and Melvin Johnson for an improper turn – almost causing a collision with another car.

The driver of the car had a suspended license, and the three were asked to get out of the car. When Kiehl was searched by officer Shawnie-Cie Ott, Ott felt a bulge in her clothing, reports said. Kiehl told Ott the bulge was a bag that she was holding for the other two, reports said.

Inside the bag were two needles and a burnt spoon, reports said. At the jail, Ott searched the bag more closely and found a dose of suspected heroin near the bottom, reports said.

Before he was searched Miller told police he had a dose of heroin in his sock, which an officer recovered, reports said.

The driver of the car, William Tondo, 23, also was arrested on a charge of driving under suspension. All three were taken to the Mahoning County jail pending their arraignment.

Taken into custody after a traffic stop about 11;10 a.m. on a charge of making an improper turn at East Midlothian Boulevard and South Avenue was Deandre Johnson, 21, of West Como Street in Struthers. Reports said a records check showed he had a suspended license, and when he got out of his car, a bag of suspected heroin fell out of his pants onto the ground.

When officers searched the car they found a digital scale, another dose of suspected heroin and $384 cash. He was arraigned on charges of driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of heroin. Judge Watson set his bond at $5,000.