CINCINNATI — The City of Cincinnati is urging a judge to temporarily close a West End liquor store to prevent “serious and substantial harm to the residents of Cincinnati.”
The city filed a lawsuit last year against John Street Market, also known as the Save-Way Super Market on John Street. The city alleges that some store employees and managers “encourage and profit from the sale of illegal narcotics in and around their store.” The drug activity has brought gun violence to the community, according to the lawsuit.
“Going back to 2017, we have seen a rise in every level of criminal activity at this location,” said Sgt. Brian Trotta, Investigative Unit Supervisor at Cincinnati Police Department District One. “From litter to public urination, to open container violations, to open air drug trafficking, felonious assaults and even homicides.”
According to the lawsuit, there have been at least 12 violent gun crimes within a block of the shop since the start of 2020.
“We see people just randomly shooting in the air,” Trotta said.
Trotta said police set up a covert camera across the street from the store because the location “has become such a problem.” He shared a clip with a Cincinnati City Council committee, showing what he described as a typical hand-to-hand drug transaction.
He also played surveillance video from inside the store, saying the video shows an employee providing a scale to an individual who uses it to weigh drugs.
“On Dec. 9 of 2022, we served a search warrant at this location,” he said. “Three of the scales recovered of the numerous scales had drug residue on them, so we know that these are being used by traffickers who come in and do this on a daily basis.”
Cincinnati police arranged for various drug sales at the location as part of their investigation. Trotta said the store sells drug paraphernalia kits to help users smoke crack cocaine.
“When we’d do our inspections we'd find trash bags with $20,000 in cash shoved in a box in the back,” he said. “Or tens of thousands of dollars shoved in an old pizza oven in the rear of the store.”
Trotta said police have made several arrests at the location, and recovered drugs and guns. In one incident, he said an individual arrested ultimately called the store to arrange for the clerk to help post his bond.
On Tuesday, members of a city council committee voted to formally object the renewal of the store’s liquor permit.
“I want to stress that an objection is basically just the beginning of a process,” said Assistant City Solicitor David Laing. “You're not voting today to take away the liquor permit or otherwise, close the business. What we're requesting is a hearing before the Ohio Division of Liquor Control, which will make a decision or recommendation, which then can be appealed to the Ohio Liquor Control Commission.”
Gregory M. Nolan spoke on the owner’s behalf. He’s an attorney representing the store over the objection, but not in the city’s lawsuit against the business.
“It’s a neighborhood conducive to drug trafficking. That's the neighborhood,” he said. “This is all he has. He employs four people and this is his livelihood.”
Nolan said his client was not given a warning about the incidents shown in the videos, and was not granted a meeting with police or city officials prior to the meeting where committee members voted on the objection. A representative for the solicitor’s office told council members he has been given warnings previously.
Residents in the area told WCPO they have not observed issues at the shop.
“Not really. I haven't seen it,” said Dobbs Wilson, who lives nearby. “It’s great to me. They treat me right.”
Wilson said he comes to the store every day, and has been coming to this location for close to 20 years.
Other residents, who did not wish to be identified, voiced concern about the possibility of the store closing. Some said they feared it would place them in a “desert” with limited store options.
Trotta pushed back on that idea, saying officers have found expired food items left on store shelves on several occasions.
“You have unsanitary, spoiled food items, mold and growth surrounding the the refrigeration units,” he said. “This is really just a location that allows for crime and criminal activity to take place. Quite honestly, it tears at the fabric of the West End community.”
According to court documents, a decision is expected in the city’s lawsuit on April 14. WCPO reached out to the attorney representing the store in the lawsuit and has not yet received a response.
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