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HUBBARD -- A suspicious package at the United States Post Office in downtown Youngstown that turned out to be marijuana led police to search a house in Hubbard that a health inspector called "one of the worst homes he had seen in years."
The Hubbard Health Department has asked the Trumbull County Combined Health District to declare 347 Rebecca Ave. unfit for human habitation and a danger to public health, according to a Hubbard police report. A hearing by the county health board will be Feb. 27.
When police arrived at the home on Feb. 1, they were overcome with a "terrible stench" and saw large amounts of trash, debris and moldy food throughout the floor and countertops in the kitchen, the police report states. They also saw several large piles of animal feces, urine, pet dander and more trash, coupled with damaged walls and doorways.
Officers noted in their report that the ammonia from the aged feces and urine was overpowering and irritating to officers' lungs and eyes, making it difficult to conduct a thorough search of the home, the report states. Inside the master bedroom, officers located drug paraphernalia on the bed along with what appeared to be aged cat vomit, the report states.
The basement floor was covered with dog feces and the officers noted it appeared the dog had not been permitted outside for several months.
"I believe the home to be in a state of disrepair as the ammonia, urine and feces odors have become embedded in the sub floors and walls," the officer wrote in his report.
A cat and a dog were removed from the home by agents with the Trumbull County Animal Welfare League. The owners of the home signed the animals over to the AWL so new homes can be found for them, according to Kayley Frost, interim director of the agency.
The home belongs to Gary C. Moore, according to the Trumbull County Auditor's website.
A search of the home was triggered by a Youngstown post office inspector asking Poland police officer James R. Jackson to take his drug sniffing dog, Mido, to the post office because of a suspicious package that was addressed to 347 Rebecca Ave., a report from the Poland Township Police Department states.
"Mido caught a scent from the box," Jackson said. "He indicated there was a presence of narcotics in the package."
Jackson said it was later determined the package had six pounds of marijuana inside it. The discovery of the drugs was used to get a search warrant for the home.
Frank Migliozzi, Trumbull County's Health Commissioner, said the property owner will have an opportunity to testify at the Board of Health meeting.
"If it is found unfit, the property owner will be given a chance to improve and purify the condition of the house," Migliozzi said. "I don't know how much time the owner will be given."
rsmith@tribtoday.com