SitemapLarry Allen said he liked what he was seeing as city police and the law department boarded up a South Side home on a nuisance complaint because of drug activity.
Allen, a member of the Taft Block Watch, looked on Thursday as members of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. nailed the boards over the windows and doors of the 574 E. Boston Ave. home, which is less than 50 yards from Taft Elementary School.
The YNDC is a neighborhood development group that works to improve the quality of life in the city.
Allen, another neighbor and the Community Police Unit officer assigned to the neighborhood said the home is a haven for illegal activity from fights to loud music to drug sales to gunfire.
“This is what we need,” Allen said as he watched the show from the porch of another neighbor two doors down. “We need more of this to shut these houses down.”
City prosecutors got a temporary restraining order Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to have the home boarded up. They will have a hearing within 10 days to determine if the order should remain permanent.
The home is owned by Wayne Martin, 34, who is in the county jail on several charges that he beat and shot at the tenant, Brandon Treharn, 28, who has a felony drug case pending in common pleas court. Martin’s case has been bound over to the grand jury.
Martin’s brother, Terrell, 36, also faces similar charges for his role in an attack on Treharn.
In their complaint, the city said informants have made 13 undercover drug buys at the home within a five-month period. Vindicator files show vice officers served a search warrant at the home June 9. Police found two guns, both reported stolen, $995 cash, and small amounts of suspected crack cocaine and heroin. Both Wayne Martin and Treharn were named in the complaint the city filed asking for the home to be declared a nuisance.
Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly, head of the Community Police Unit, said drug dealers would take advantage of a drive in a neighboring yard to help make the drug sales go quicker.
“It was actually a drive through,” Kelly said.
Phil Skowron, the Community Police Unit member assigned to the neighborhood, said he has received numerous complaints about the home.
Allen said his block watch met Wednesday evening and the No. 1 item on the agenda was discussion about the home. He said he had no idea the city would take the action it did, but it was a pleasant surprise.
“I’m glad to see it shut down,” Allen said.
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