Former Streetsboro councilman accused of having stolen cars, guns at scrap metal business

A former Streetsboro City Council member and mayoral candidate is facing felony charges alleging investigators found stolen vehicles and guns at his scrap metal recycling business on state Route 14.

More:Streetsboro police, highway patrol execute search warrant at Allen Alloys and Iron

Jeffrey M. Allen, 59, was arraigned along with his son, Jeremiah W. Allen, 36, in Portage County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday morning. The younger Allen is named with his father on 43 of the counts in the indictment, which specifies that both were doing business as Allen Alloys and Iron LLC. Both were released on personal bonds.

A March 21 jury trial is scheduled for both men.

More:Streetsboro mayoral candidates take to stage to debate city issues

Don Malarcik, the attorney representing Jeffrey Allen and Allen Alloys and Iron, said Monday that Allen was elected to Streetsboro City Council in 2013 and served a single four-year term, which included a year as council president and three years as president of council's service committee. He also ran for mayor in 2015 and 2019.

"We will defend his innocence vigorously," said Malarcik.

An attorney representing Jeremiah Allen did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.

A grand jury indictment includes 28 counts of fourth-degree felony receiving stolen property, including 10 counts against both Allens in connection with various vehicles that had allegedly been reported stolen and 18 counts against Jeffrey Allen alleging he possessed firearms that had been reported stolen.

According to the indictment, most of the vehicles and firearms were found on April 27. This was the same day it was previously reported that Streetsboro police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol searched Allen Alloys and Iron as part of a then unspecified investigation.

Portage County Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci said the charges are a result of an ongoing joint investigation between the two law enforcement agencies. Streetsboro Police Lt. Rich Polivka referred questions about the investigation to the highway patrol. Information from the highway patrol was not immediately available.

Both Allens have also been charged with third-degree felony tampering with records; seven counts of scrap metal dealing without registration with the Ohio director of public safety, 14 counts of possession of criminal tools, and one count of tampering with a vehicle identification number, all fifth-degree felonies; one count of unclassified misdemeanor prohibited acts involving certificate of title and seven counts of scrap metal dealers exertion of control over certain items.

Three of the counts of this last charge are due to an alleged violation of state law prohibiting the purchase of more than one catalytic converter from the same person on the same day, unless the seller is a motor vehicle dealer, and four counts are due to an alleged violation of state law requiring photographs of sellers of catalytic converters be taken and included as part of a purchase record.

Vigluicci said it is unclear whether the catalytic converters related to these charges were stolen.

Jeffrey Allen also is charged with fifth-degree felony obstruction of justice. Vigluicci said this was due to Allen allegedly providing false information during the investigation.

Attorney: Allen Alloys has always been 'lawful business'

Malarcik said Allen's father started Allen Alloys and Iron at its current location, 8693 state Route 14, in 1969. Jeffrey Allen eventually took over. Malarcik said it has always been run as a "lawful business."

"When Jeff ran for mayor, he stepped down from the business and kind of turned things over to his son," he said. "After those attempts were unsuccessful, Jeff came back into the business and took over primary responsibilities for running the day-to-day operations."

Some of the charges could result in mandated forfeiture of property.

The forfeited items could include nearly $50,000, three forklifts, a crane, two excavators, three semi tractors — 1993, 2001 and 2006 models — a 1987 dump truck, a 2008 and a 2018 flatbed truck, and miscellaneous power tools.

Vigluicci said that in the meantime, the equipment has been seized.

"We have been trying to negotiate the return of that property for months," said Malarcik. "I filed a motion asking for the return of that property on Oct. 21."

According to the motion, seized equipment is valued at about $1.5 million and also includes a magnet used by the crane, five trailers, two large refuse storage boxes, and a video security system. An additional $1 million in inventory was also seized, the motion states, and Allen "continues to pay tens of thousand of dollars each month for many of the items seized on April 27, 2022. He also pays several thousand dollars per month [to] insure these items currently in storage…"

The motion cites prohibitions in the the U.S. and Ohio constitutions and in state law against unreasonable searches and seizures and excessive fines as justification for return of the property.

Malarcik said he is questioning the timing of the indictment; a hearing on the motion has been scheduled for Dec. 5.

"I guess I would say it's unfortunate, but not surprising that an indictment was issued last week," he said.

Vigluicci could not immediately be reached Tuesday for a comment on the seizures.

Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Former Streetsboro councilman accused of having stolen cars, guns