LISBON — A hearing is set for 1 p.m. Sept. 18 to decide whether an alleged nuisance property at 709 Sophia St., East Liverpool should remain boarded up and padlocked through a permanent injunction requested by the city of East Liverpool.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton granted the city’s request for a temporary restraining order Monday, ruling that the property be closed, padlocked and windows boarded as deemed necessary by the East Liverpool Police Department, which was done immediately.

Bickerton wrote that it clearly appears from the affidavit and complaint that injury, loss or damage will result to the city before the property owner, William D. Barrett, can be heard in opposition.

“The injury, loss or damage includes continuing and repeated instances of violence, disruptive conduct and felony drug activity on or around the premises since January 2022. This conduct and activity places the public, police officers, emergency responders and the public in immediate danger,” she wrote.

The city filed the complaint against William D. Barrett requesting the permanent closure of the property for at least one year due to continued illegal drug activity and criminal activity at the house since 2022. The complaint went into great detail about numerous incidents and resulting arrests, starting with a drug raid on Jan. 11, 2022 when a large amount of methamphetamine was seized along with three digital scales, a pistol and a round of 9mm ammunition.

The three people in the house included William D. Barrett’s son Justin, whose felony convictions include burglary, breaking and entering, improper handling of firearms in a motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, aggravated possession of drugs, possession of drugs, having weapons while under disability, illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a governmental facility, complicity and possessing criminal tools. The other two people, Michael Greathouse and April Birtwell also had criminal convictions.

The now previous owner of the property was notified about the warrant the next day and about the activity. In July 2022, William D. Barrett purchased the property. Police responded to the property in February 2023 for a man who fell and struck his head.

More activities were reported in 2024, with the request for a welfare check, a break-in by a woman who was bitten by William D. Barrett’s dog and had numerous convictions, another illegal entry by two more people, including Khbair Tisdale, whose felony drug convictions were numerous, On July 23, 2024, there was a structure fire at the property, with a person reported someone poured gasoline on the door leading to a bedroom where they were staying. That person and another person located at the scene both had convictions.

On Aug. 27, 2024, police responded to the property for an accidental drug overdose by a man from Youngstown who was later pronounced dead from a mixed drug overdose. His convictions were also numerous for drugs charges and even felonious assault. A witness also had felony drug convictions.

On Feb. 12 this year, East Liverpool police officers and the Columbiana County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant and found suspected illegal drugs and a .38-caliber revolver, along with three people with numerous convictions, including Justin Barrett.

The city housing department posted the property condemned after the drug raid and ordered it vacated immediately after the house was found uninhabitable due to structural and unsanitary conditions. The property was inspected and again condemned on March 7. Police were called to the property on March 17 after being told a woman entered with a baby and found William D. Barrett inside to do repairs.

On May 1, the CCDTF and East Liverpool police officers executed another search warrant at the property and found several people inside even though it was still posted condemned and ordered vacated. Breaking and entering was reported and trespassing on May 2.

The city requested the property be declared a public nuisance and closed up, with all personal property and contents used in conducting the nuisance ordered sold, along with damages and costs of boarding up the property.