Charged with soliciting

Charged with soliciting

AUSTINTOWN

The latest undercover sting operation by township police netted a man accused of engaging in prostitution.

Officers responded to an online ad that included explicit photos and said the poster only wanted donations for his time.

The person responding to the officer’s texts offered a menu of services ranging from $60 to $150. They arranged to meet on Interstate Boulevard at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Police were met by Tiquan Turner, 21, of Youngstown, who told officers he posted the ad, but he takes clients’ money and leaves before engaging in sexual activity. A search of his cellphone reportedly revealed several conversations arranging sexual encounters for payment.

Turner was charged with soliciting and possession of criminal tools.

Juvenile, man arrested

YOUNGSTOWN

Police arrested a juvenile and a 20-year-old man about 7:40 p.m. Wednesday on gun charges while police were investigating a gunfire call in the 400 block of Idora Avenue on the South Side.

When police arrived, a witness told them they heard two people fire several shots and saw two men run into a wooded area. Police searched the neighborhood and found Laquan Ballard, 20, of Townsend Avenue and the juvenile, who fit the description of the people who were seen running.

Reports said the juvenile ran away and he dropped a .22-caliber handgun. He was later caught behind a nearby home.

Police said they found a bag Ballard was carrying, and inside the bag police found another .22-caliber handgun and 28 rounds of ammunition.

Ballard was taken to the Mahoning County jail on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. The juvenile was arrested on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm because he has a pending weapons case in juvenile court. He was taken to the Martin P. Joyce Juvenile Justice Center.

Pregnant woman cited

YOUNGSTOWN

Reports said a pregnant Columbiana woman was cited about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday on drug charges after police found three used syringes, a crack pipe and several ripped open plastic bags that had suspected heroin residue inside.

Reports said Shelly Burt, 27, was pulled over at Chicago Avenue and Market Street on the South Side after a police officer observed her traveling at a high rate of speed. Reports said Burt appeared nervous but she gave permission to be searched.

Police found nothing on her, but police dog Hector sniffed the air around the car and detected an odor of narcotics.

Officers searched the car and found the paraphernalia. Burt was released on citations for possession of drug-abuse instruments and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Free shredding event

NILES

Shepherd of the Valley, 1500 McKinley Ave., will host a free event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday for people who need to shred sensitive documents.

A certified agent from the National Association for Information Destruction will shred the materials. Attendees are welcome to stay and watch their documents being shredded while enjoying free refreshments. Each person can bring up to five banker-sized boxes full of documents.

Plastic, cardboard, boxes, plastic bags, 3-ring binders, vinyl, metal and media such as CDs, DVDs and VCRs cannot be shredded. Paperclips, staples, spiral notebooks and rubber bands are acceptable.

Reservations are not required. Contact 330-544-0771, ext. 2817, for information.