City of Ypsilanti takes aim at alleged drug house on Charles Street
The city of Ypsilanti has filed court papers seeking to temporarily shut down a man’s home where officials say there has been a history of illegal drug activity.
Sascha Lahti, 35, who was charged earlier this month with maintaining a drug house, now must appear in front of a judge and explain why his home at 411 Charles Street shouldn't be declared a nuisance.
On May 9, the city filed a nuisance abatement complaint against Lahti, asking for a court order to padlock his home on the city's east side. If the order is granted, the home could be padlocked for up to a year and Lahti would have to find another place to live, Ypsilanti police Det. Sgt. Troy Fulton said.
Fulton said the city takes such action against two to three homes or businesses a year. The reason: It's an owner's responsibility to control what happens at a house, Fulton said.
411 Charles Street
Since January, police have conducted two drug raids at the house, the complaint says, responded to two overdoses there and made three arrests at or near the home. During the drug raids, the complaint says, investigators seized more than 10 grams of heroin, hypodermic needles, burnt spoons, prescription pills, two digital scales and other items.
When authorities responded to the overdoses, the complaint says, they recovered items including a bloody syringe, large amount of prescription drugs, a rifle and large quantity of ammunition. The complaint also alleges that Lahti has rented rooms to as many as four unrelated people, violating zoning regulations.
Lahti is disputing the claims. He said he's a recovering heroin addict and hasn’t rented rooms to anyone. He said he has been letting people he met at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings stay at his home at no cost during recovery. Some have gone back to using drugs, he said.
“There was drug use here,” he said. “There was no dealing here or anything like that, but there were people using.”
Since the city has cracked down, he said, he's kicked everyone out and put the home up for sale. The home is on the market for $30,900. City records show Lahti bought it for $135,000 in 2006, and its assessed value is $44,400 - giving it an estimated market value of $88,800.
Lahti said he thinks the city is "blowing this out of proportion." He said none of the drugs were his.
"I was just trying to be personally friendly and nice to the people of AA who were trying to do better," he said.
The court papers include affidavits from three neighbors who say that people and cars come and go from the property at all hours. In the affidavits, the three expressed concerns for their safety and the safety of children in the neighborhood.
City Attorney John Barr said, "What the city is seeking is to make this a safe and secure neighborhood and to get rid of all the illegal activity in the area."
Lahti is scheduled to appear in front of Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Melinda Morris on June 1 to explain why his home shouldn't be declared a nuisance. He is scheduled to return to court in his criminal case on May 26.
If convicted of maintaining a drug house, he faces up to two years in prison.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
fight hunger
Wed, Jun 1, 2011 : 12:20 a.m.
sad sad sad
Lysander54
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 2:34 p.m.
this was a wonderful home and the owner worked hard to maintain it and make it appealing. Life hit him hard and he fell inside the cracks. Im no liberal, he made his choices and in they the were wrong ones. The neighborhood of the alleged individual is one of the best neighborhoods Ive seen in this city, and as a member of that community we welcome anyone to drive by and have a look see. By the way, how many individuals who commented on here with their concerns drink alcohol beverages in their home? Once that was illegal too.
Nancy Steiner Bowerbank Bowerbank
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 11:47 a.m.
This home is pending sale, and I am representing someone who has an accepted offer on this home. Assuming all goes well, a new family will move into this home and the neighbors and community will benefit from the change. This is a really great neighborhood and it is a shame that the history on this home is less than desirable. I don't know all the details of the Seller and their history but I do know the buyers and they are wonderful people!
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 11:21 a.m.
According to Wikipedia it was June 17, 1971 when Richard Nixon first coined the phrase "war on drugs". Thats nearly 40 years ago. It doesn't seem to be going well.
Murf
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:50 a.m.
Malorie - This can happen anywhere. I hope you do background checks on all the neighbors at the new school. As someone who has been around since he moved in with his then wife, a young hard-working couple full of hope and promise and a new home to present day and a divorce and now his life as it has been the last few years, this is really a sad tale. I don't know if I want to see it padlocked but I would like someone to buy the house that embodies the neighborhood more than what he did the last few years.
Wolf's Bane
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 1:40 a.m.
Well, maybe Beal and Thompson Block are next?
UlyssesSwrong
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.
As a former resident of Charles St., I'm glad that this dump is being cleaned up. When I lived there many years ago, my fellow neighbors reported break ins and other issues, and having money, jewelery, electronics, fire arms and even food and beverages stolen from their homes while gone. Drug addicts will often break in and steal things, so please be prepared with your arms in case any home invasions happen in your area.
Chase Ingersoll
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
Oh, everything I said in the previous comment - disregard all of it, if an attorney has an equitable interest in the property. Those are far more interesting cases.
CincoDeMayo
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:39 p.m.
How often is that the case?
Chase Ingersoll
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 11:16 p.m.
Back in the 1990's I filed a number of these drug nuisance suits - another city, another state. They are civil suits filed under a statute that allows the court to abate (close) the property for one year, upon a finding that on more than one instance in the previous 12 months, illigal drugs had been possessed, sold, used, etc. Pretty easy standard. Typically the filing of the lawsuit was enough to get the occupants to leave, and the owner to find a professional manager, or to sell the home. I don't know if it was necessary to even mention the name of the judge in the article. The case is probably never going to trial and by the time that might take place, the judge to whom it is assigned for the procedural motions is not necessarily going to be the one to hear the case. Further, the standard of proof is far more difficult in a criminal case, resulting in plea bargaining and judges are looking at the cost to society for incarceration. Conversely, abating the property to the fullest extent of the law, does not tax strained county or state budgets, but will rather hasten the properties sale and the collection by the state and county of a "transfer tax". That is the case here the threat of the suit and the filing has prompted the owner to put the house up for $30k. From the real estate listing, the property looks to be in an attractive condition. Personally, I think that the comments should have less grousing and more encouraging of everyone to forward the listing link below to anyone who might be interested. Problem solved: <a href="http://www.century21town-country.com/Property/MI/48198/YPSILANTI/411_CHARLES" rel='nofollow'>http://www.century21town-country.com/Property/MI/48198/YPSILANTI/411_CHARLES</a>
CincoDeMayo
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:38 p.m.
Great analysis. The fact that he has it up for sale for$30,000 speaks to this getting resolved. I will say that even a year after a dealing neighbor if mine moved out, the new resident still had people banging on their door at 1:00in the morning looking for a fix!
15crown00
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:30 p.m.
just Get It Done. If Judge Morris has to be locked up .So Be It.
Mike
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:12 p.m.
@atticus F. RE my earlier post - you missed my point about the fact that anyone whether ill or not can get a mdical marijuana card. Put up whatever amount of money you'd like and I'll match it. If I can't get a card within two weeks you can keep the dough, if I can I get to keep it. The whole thing has become a joke is what my point was. I know you don't like people butting their noses into your business just like I don't sppreciate the government intruding into my life everyday. But I've seen the effect on lives from using drugs as harmless as marijuana and hard core as heroin. I've lost a brother and almost a son who both started with marijuana. My son is still alive and recovering but is a whole lot stupider than when he was younger. You could argue using your logic that drunk drivers generally don't hurt people yet we nail their butts to the wall, take away their ability to earn a living, and punish them relentlessly with a lifetime lookback period while heroin dealers can walk with a good lawyer. As long as their are people who promote smoking pot there will be plenty of income for drug dealers. I'm not attacking you because you smoke pot, I'm never going to relent on those who support selling it to anyone who can get a card. Like I said it does tend to dull the senses somewhat............
CincoDeMayo
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:33 p.m.
There is a physical addiction - and all you have to do is watch someone who regularly smokes it when they don't have it. Are there still current day studies that say it isn't????? I remember when they used to say that about cocaine.
Bear
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:37 p.m.
How about the fact that anybody can get marijuana anyways, and it doesn't matter whether it is insanely illegal or not? How about the price that is paid every year to police the laws about marijuana to no real effect? How about the fact that marijuana isn't 'addictive', no matter how many crackpots say it is? Pot smokers laugh at that one. How about the first real step to decriminalizing something that was criminalized for economic reasons, not for any real danger that it posed to the user or those around them? Drunken drivers kill people. Pot smokers don't. I'm betting your brother & son started with cigarettes & alcohol before they ever smoked pot. But that is just a guess, so don't get upset. U of M researchers said that cigarette smoking was a gateway drug to pot smoking. They called it 'good training' for smoking joints. Hysterical. literally.
ffej440
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:31 p.m.
Mike there is NO physical addiction to marijuana, proven medical fact. Prehaps more time spent with your son and brother would tell you the REAL problems that led to the addiction. I bet I could go to any pain clinic and get a script for vicoden etc.. I perfer medical pot. Why does that bother you? Just because someone is young and looks healthy don't assume all is well. This could have been the problem with your son/brother. Ask before you assume someones condition- you may be surprised.
CONCERNED CITIZEN
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 8:25 p.m.
That is a beautiful house! $30,000.00 unbelievable...I wonder what it looks like inside! Of course you would always ;have to worry that the drug users would not know he had sold the house and would be coming around all day and night...what a shame!
Murf
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 5:03 p.m.
Patty - The photo in the story is how the house looks today so it must've been taken fairly recently. The exterior photo shown on the realtor's website (the link is provided further down by an another commenter) is an older one. The exterior was redone to the current yellow color around 2004.
PattyinYpsi
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 12:23 p.m.
Isn't it customary for publications to indicate the date a photo was taken if it isn't current? This is cleary not a house that appraised for $44,000. When was the photo taken AA.com?
Ubish
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 3:44 a.m.
wow, i actually looked at this house when i was browsing for a home in late 2005. It was relatively nice inside at the time, i wonder what it looks like now.
Bear
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 9:29 p.m.
Meet 'em at the door, with a loaded .44 & they won't come a knockin' anymore. Go to your left, your right, your left, 1,2,3,4...
Mike
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 7:41 p.m.
It's Ok to sell marijuana as a caregiver but not OK tell sell other drugs to people who obviously need them? I know people who have businesses near these dispensaries and have seen the young, healthy people going in on Fridays to get their "treatment". I don't think it's right to legalize one drug and not other drugs. If you ask a heroin addict if he needs it for medical reasons he will say he does. I know people who are addicted to marijuana and have to have it. Now they can legally for the cost of a mdeical marijuana card on craigslist. I'm sick and tired of what drugs are doing to stupid Americans who consume them and destroy their lives while making the terror groups and cartels more powerful than the police. I just can't see where liberals draw the line whenit comes to things. It's either right or wrong there really isn't "it depends" when you are talking about your kids, your community, and your future.
CincoDeMayo
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:23 p.m.
I think Mike's comment was hastily posted as it contains contrary ideas, but I will agree with one of them: Marijuana is addictive, no matter how much people want to deny it. I'm not so sure it's dangerous...I definitely think other "crutches" such as alcohol create far more havoc, but pot is addictive.
actionjackson
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:29 a.m.
Oh yea the reason the people look health is that they are being treated with a proven medicinal herbal remedy.
actionjackson
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 10:27 a.m.
Mike, how did you mix up the article's point of heroin (highly addictive) and marijuana? Over 65% of the people of the State of Michigan approved the law that is now on the book for medical marijuana. Obviously you were in the less than 35%. Never, not once, anywhere has a person overdosed on marijuana. It's as possible to overdose on cake or ice cream. We're in the 21st century now not back in the 30's with Reefer Madness which you must believe is a non-fiction documentary. Good luck with your protestations against democratic, for the people, legalized prescriptions.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 3 a.m.
When you say that you don't think it's right to legalize one drug and not other drugs, do you include other recreational drugs like alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine? Or do you think *all* drugs should be illegal? I don't think I am doing anyone's kids, community or future any harm when I pick up my blood pressure medicine but who knows. Or since you seem to be against medical marijuana, perhaps you just mean that all prescription drugs should be illegal? I mean I see young, healthy looking people going in to the pharmacy on Fridays to get their "treatment." Seriously though, why is different when my doctor prescribes me blood pressure medicine and when someone else's doctor prescribes them medical marijuana for some condition they have? Frankly, when it comes to drugs, there is a whole lot of "It depends" even when talking about children, the community and the future.
Maxwell
Thu, May 26, 2011 : 2:12 a.m.
Addicted to marijuana? Doesn't work like that. Your knowledge base seems limited to J Edgar Hoover era propaganda.
Atticus F.
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.
It's up to a doctor to decide weather a person would benefit from medical cannabis. How many years did you spend in medical school? Also, if you cant tolerate other people making choices on what they put in their bodies, then maybe you should just stay in your home. Quite frankly I'm "sick and tired" of people who poke their noses into other peoples personal life.
bruceae
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 6:41 p.m.
He doesn't have to worry about anything. With Melinda Morris as his judge he won't even be closed and lose one day's business.
mightywombat
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 7:25 p.m.
... assuming he's guilty.
M.
Wed, May 25, 2011 : 6:09 p.m.
Oh, right by the elementary school my 6 year old attends! Nice! Glad she's going elsewhere next Fall.