4 facing charges following drug raid of Struthers bar
Four Struthers residents were arrested and charged following a drug raid at a longtime bar, which city officials are now looking to shut down permanently.
According to a police report, 51-year-old Michael Major and 41-year-old April Fennell were working at The Bowery — a bar on Midlothian Boulevard that’s been around at least 30 years.
Kimberly Procick, 51, and Rosann Wilson, 47, were also arrested.
All four were arraigned Friday morning in Struthers Municipal Court.
Major is charged with felony drug possession and misdemeanor counts of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on $7,000 bond.
Fennell, Procick, and Wilson are all charged with felony drug possession and are being held on $5,000 bond.
Just after 7 p.m. Thursday, Struthers police cars surrounded the main entrance of The Bowery.
The Mahoning County Drug Task Force and the Ohio Investigative Unit were also on the scene.
Commander Jeff Solic with the Task Force said they are dealing drugs out of the bar.
“I know they are, yes, absolutely.”
Officers said they found Major with cocaine and Suboxone.
“Normally these investigations in a liquor establishment sell smaller bar quantity amounts of drugs, and that’s what they were selling here,” Solic said.
An entire block of 7th Street off of Midlothian was shut down Thursday evening as police searched a house believed to be connected with the drug raid. Police said a male employee of The Bowery lives in an apartment in the back of the house.
William Grover lives across the street from the bar. He’s not surprised by the news of drug activity there.
“There has definitely been speculation around town, stuff like that, but I don’t frequent the bar often myself. I’ve been over there a few times. I mean, kind of a rough crowd,” Grover said.
Struthers Law Director Dominic Leone said the city will be looking into closing The Bowery.
“There’s numerous police reports of drug activity, disorderly conduct, alcohol-related offenses here and we are looking at filing a nuisance complaint.”
Police would not say who owns the bar or if the owner would be charged.
A preliminary hearing for Major, Fennell, Procick, and Wilson is scheduled for next Friday at 9:30 a.m.
Published by wkbn.com