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Man chased on foot leads cops to 55 pot plants
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Vice-squad officers serving a search warrant Thursday investigating drug activity got a two-for-one after a man they chased on foot from a home led them to a nearby garden that had 55 marijuana plants, reports said.
Police found the plants at a home in the 500 block of East Boston Avenue just after 5 p.m. while chasing Michael Ratliff, 34, reports said.
Marcus Carbon, 36, was in the garden with the plants, but he refused to secure a dog he had with him, reports said. Ratliff had jumped a fence to get into the garden.
When asked his name, reports said Carbon told police: “I have many names.” When they asked him where he was from, he said: “Atlantis.”
Carbon’s wife told police who he was. She said they lived separately in the same home along with their five children, and whatever Carbon did was his own business. She gave police consent to come onto the property. She told police that Carbon lived in the basement of their home, reports said.
Carbon was arrested on charges of obstruction of official business and possession of marijuana. Ratliff also was taken into custody on a charge of possession of heroin and obstructing official business. Police said he threw away a packet of suspected heroin while they were chasing him.
During his arraignment in municipal court Friday, Magistrate Anthony Sertick asked Carbon if he was growing the plants to try and take advantage of the new medical marijuana law in Ohio.
Carbon laughed and said no.
“It’s part of my culture and tradition,” Carbon said. His bond was set at $27,500.
At the 574 E. Boston Ave. home that police searched, reports said there were four 3-year-olds, two 7-year-olds and an 11-year-old inside. Police also found 48 pills, $995 in cash, a bag of suspected crack cocaine and a bag of suspected marijuana, two scales and two .45-caliber semiautomatic handguns.
Reports said both guns were reported as stolen, one from Boardman and one from Pennsylvania.
The mother of two of the children, Brittany West, 26, was booked into the jail on three counts of possession of drugs, plus possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering children.
Reports said the house was in her control and that is why she faces so many charges.
Sertick asked West what kind of example she was setting by allowing children to be in such a home. West said she is a good mother. Her bond was set at $40,000. Ratliff’s bond was set at $32,500.