LISBON — A man whose Sophia Street property remains boarded up as an alleged nuisance in East Liverpool failed to appear again for the latest hearing in the city’s quest to make the closure permanent.

William D. Barrett’s last known address was Moore Street at Fawcett Apartments, which is where he was apparently served by East Liverpool police with the notice about the complaint and the first hearing last month.

Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton said the notice for the preliminary injunction hearing Thursday was returned as undeliverable. He was supposed to be staying at the Fawcett Apartments with a relative and East Liverpool officials said they had no indication that he was residing anywhere else.

Bickerton asked if there was any entry at the house at 709 Sophia St., East Liverpool, the house that’s the subject of the case, and East Liverpool Assistant Law Director John Gamble said not that the city was aware of.

Asked if the city was seeking a permanent injunction, Gamble said that in spite of the defendant failing to appear, the city still needed to present some evidence.

A hearing for the permanent injunction was scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 18, with the previous order for a temporary restraining order still in place. Last month, the city was granted the order to board up and padlock the property owned by Barrett and to seek a preliminary/permanent injunction to keep it boarded up as a nuisance.

In the order, Bickerton wrote that it clearly appeared from the affidavit and complaint that injury, loss or damage would result to the city before Barrett could 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 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 and another illegal entry by two more people. On July 23, 2024, there was a structure fire at the property, with a person reporting 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

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.

East Liverpool officials were present for the hearing this week, including the mayor, housing officer and chief of police.

mgreier@mojonews.com