Traffic stop leads to charges against driver, passenger

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The passenger is scheduled for sentencing in unrelated drug cases.

YOUNGSTOWN — The occupants of a pickup truck that left what police describe as a known drug house on the South Side were arrested by members of the Street Crimes Unit.

The truck was pulled over after it left the house on West Warren Avenue late Tuesday because it had no working license plate light.

It turned out that the driver, Michael Scardina, 22, of Easy Street, Canfield, had no valid license and his passenger was wanted on a theft warrant issued out of Struthers, reports show. The passenger, Marlo Burney, 40, of West Hylda Avenue also had a dose of suspected heroin in her jacket, police said.

Scardina was charged with driving under suspension. He will be back in municipal court Feb. 6 for a pretrial hearing.

Burney was charged with possession of heroin. Her bond was set at $5,000 and she will be back in court Dec. 28 for a preliminary hearing.

Scardina also was arrested Nov. 30 in Austintown and charged with driving under suspension. A pretrial hearing is set for March 10 in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown.

Scardina was indicted in December 2003 on a drug trafficking charge and pleaded guilty to an amended charge in July 2004. He was given drug treatment in lieu of conviction, records show.

Boardman police arrested Burney on Dec. 10 and charged her with petty theft (less than $500) from Wal-Mart, records show. She is set for a pretrial hearing Jan. 22.

In November, Burney was indicted on a drug possession charge that originated in Youngstown, and in August she was indicted on a drug abuse charge that originated in Struthers.

She pleaded guilty to both charges in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Dec. 13, and sentencing is set for Feb. 13.

Burney was convicted of trafficking in heroin in November 2002 and sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Thursday, December 20, 2007