Prosecutors: Pair sold meth around children

Staff report

STRUTHERS

U.S. Marshals have arrested two people secretly indicted last week on charges of selling methamphetamine while a child was present.

Marshals served warrants at a Garfield Street home Tuesday morning and arrested Damien J. Pratt, 26, and Melinda S. Seaman, 28, each of whom face multiple felony counts of drug trafficking and a single misdemeanor count of child endangering.

A Mahoning County grand jury secretly indicted them last week, but their charges became public record upon their arrest Tuesday.

U.S. Marshal Glen Riddle told The Vindicator no children were in the home when officers made the arrests.

Steven Maszczak, assistant county prosecutor, said authorities “obtained information that these individuals were selling methamphetamine.”

“We made a couple of buys off of both of these individuals. There was a child at the residence at a couple of circumstances,” he said.

Maszczak said he believes neither Pratt nor Seaman has custody of the child anymore.

Both will be arraigned in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday. Jail records, however, show Pratt’s bond was set at a total $17,250. Seaman’s at a total $9,250.