Man wanted on animal cruelty charge in Campbell found sleeping at Boardman gas station
A man listed as “homeless” in a police report was arrested in Boardman on multiple warrants, including animal cruelty charges stemming from an earlier incident in Campbell.
Marcus Alan Roach, 49, was taken into custody late Tuesday at a gas station on Boardman Poland Road, according to Boardman police reports. Roach was initially found asleep in a vehicle parked in a handicapped spot.
During the investigation, officers discovered two active arrest warrants for Roach. One warrant, issued by Campbell police, was for prohibitions concerning companion animals, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The Campbell police report detailed an incident on Oct. 6, 2023, where officers went to Roach’s Gordon Avenue home after he failed to show up at school to pick up his 5-year-old daughter.
A portion of the Campbell Police report’s narrative gave a description of what an officer saw when a dog was found at Roach’s home:
It was difficult to cut the bolt at the collar because the collar was so tight, also held together by 2 bolts, and the collar was starting to embed. The black Cane Corso had many flies flying around him and landing on him. He had fly strikes on his ears, scabbing behind his ears, was severely underweight, and had fleas. His feet were caked in feces. There were two wood 2x4, other smaller chewed up pieces of wood, trash, and chewed up plastic scattered around. There were 3 filthy, unsanitary tin bowls. One was turned upside down. The other two tin bowls were empty and dirty.
Police say Roach fled from the home and went to the school, which was placed on lockdown until police could secure the scene.
The Campbell report also listed other charges against Roach, including improper tethering and various property maintenance violations related to the condition of his home. The warrant was issued for Roach after he failed to appear in Campbell Municipal Court for a hearing on the case.
Roach was also arrested on a warrant from Liberty Township Police for felony possession of amphetamine.
During the arrest in Boardman, officers say they found prescription pills and drug paraphernalia in Roach’s vehicle. According to the police report, officers located an orange prescription pill bottle with a scratched-off label containing 31 Methocarbamol pills, another bottle containing 30 Olanzapine pills, and a glass pipe with white powder residue, recognized as a methamphetamine pipe.
Roach was charged by Boardman police with possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors. He was transported to the Mahoning County Justice Center and was scheduled to appear in Boardman Court on Thursday.
