Two arrested on gun charges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested two men with guns over the weekend.

Van Sylvester Lightning, 26, of East Boston Avenue, was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm after he was seen about 2:35 a.m. Saturday running with a gun on the South Side.

Reports said police were called to a club in the first block of West Hylda Avenue for a report of a gun in a car that was parked outside. Reports said Lightning was seen getting into the car and when police approached, he ran away with a gun in his hand.

Reports said he was chased on foot and an officer used his electronic stun weapon on him twice with no effect before he was caught in the 100 block of West Hylda.

Reports said Lightning told the officers he had just finished serving a prison sentence for being a member of a street gang. In 2012, court records show Lightning was given a sentence of 37 months in prison with credit for nine months served and also given three years’ probation.

Also arrested about 6:25 p.m. Friday was Erick Preston, 26, of Mistletoe Avenue. Reports said police were called to Preston’s home for a fight and found out Preston had a warrant. Reports said Preston was taken into custody on the warrant and asked to lock up his house.

An officer went inside with him while he went to lock up and saw a gun on a table and asked Preston who the gun belonged to. Reports said Preston did not appear to be truthful when he answered so the officer ran a records check and found out the gun was stolen from Pennsylvania. The gun was loaded with nine rounds of .22-caliber ammunition.

Preston was taken into custody on charges of receiving stolen property and his warrant on a driving under suspension charge.