METRO DIGEST || Youngstown council joins protest against Trump immigration ban

Joining Trump protest

YOUNGSTOWN

Youngstown City Council has joined the national protest against President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

At its meeting Wednesday, the city’s legislative body unanimously approved a three-page resolution that contains more than a dozen reasons why it wants Trump to revoke his executive order on immigration, reported 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner.

In council’s resolution, it says that President Trump is correct to be concerned about national security but it is unacceptable that even legal permanent residents are being detained or turned away and that the ban could erode allies’ willingness to help the United States fight terrorism.

Drug, firearms charges

CLEVELAND

A federal grand jury has indicted a New Castle, Pa., man on drug and firearms charges, Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said Wednesday.

Michael Betts, 35, was charged with possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and heroin, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Betts possessed crack cocaine and heroin Nov. 28, 2016, according to the indictment.

On the same date, Betts possessed a .45-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite a 2002 conviction for assault with intent to do great bodily harm in Michigan, the indictment said.

The case was investigated by Salem police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by David M. Toepfer, a Youngstown-based assistant U.S. attorney.

Police respond to OD

AUSTINTOWN

Police responded to an apparent overdose Tuesday night, according to a report.

First responders found a man on his bed and unresponsive after a friend called 911. The friend told police he went to the bathroom when he heard the victim collapse. This is the second apparent overdose police have responded to at the Phoenix House apartment complex on Meridian Road this week.

The victim was revived by four doses of Narcan, a drug used to treat opioid overdose. Police did not find evidence of drug use, but the report said they were unable to search the bathroom because two dogs were inside.

Loaded gun found

YOUNGSTOWN

Police found a loaded 9mm handgun during a traffic stop at about 6:55 p.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of East Avondale Avenue.

Reports said officers pulled over a car for running a stop sign and it pulled in a drive and Jason Johnson, 38, of Lansdowne Boulevard, got out of the car and told police he had just found a weapon.

Officers found the gun on the passenger seat of the car. Reports said Johnson told police he took the gun off his nephew because his nephew was going to shoot someone with it.

Johnson was booked into the jail on charges of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm and driving under suspension.

Windows shot out

YOUNGSTOWN

Reports said windows were shattered by a pellet gun at 20 W. Federal St. and 201 W. Federal St. early Wednesday downtown. Officers were called to both places at about 1:10 a.m. and 1:55 a.m. Reports said a witness told police they saw someone in the area leaning out of an SUV firing a pellet gun.