Police find drugs and gun in housing project traffic stop

YOUNGSTOWN

Reports said officers working a Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority detail just after 11 p.m. Monday found a loaded 9mm handgun under the seat of a car they stopped.

Officers were on patrol when a car reports said was driven by Juwuan Howell, 18, of Smithfield Street that was in front of them stopped in the middle of Albert and State streets and Howell reached under the front seat like he was moving something around.

The officers checked the license plate and found it was expired and pulled the car over in the 1000 block of Verona Avenue, reports said.

Reports said Howell and a passenger got out of the car and police told them to get back inside. The passenger did but Howell would not and he was trying to stuff a bag down his pants, reports said. Inside the bag was crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana, reports said.

Howell was taken into custody and the gun was found under the driver’s seat. He was taken to the Mahoning County jail on drug charges and a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm because he has a felony warrant from Columbiana County and is not allowed to have a gun while his case is pending. He was also charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

The passenger was released.