REV. CHARLES ‘SLIM’ LAKE

Street preacher jailed on weapons violations

Convicted Toledo felon had firearms

Lake

Lake

One of Toledo’s most infamous street preachers is again taking up residency in the Lucas County jail.

The Rev. Charles “Slim” Lake, 58, of 1045 Campbell St. and 1038 Hamilton Ave., was arrested recently for a violation of his post-release control agreement, which was set after his 2010 release from prison.

Lake, the founder of Boss Angels Inc., an organization for at-risk youths, was arrested Aug. 29 by the Adult Parole Authority after Lake told a reporter from WTVG-TV, Channel 13, that his organization had collected 13 guns that he said he intended to turn over to Toledo police.

“We have Derringers, we have semiautomatic weapons, Tommy guns, .357 magnums, .32s,” Lake told 13-ABC.

Eleven guns, including a modified AR-15 assault-style weapon confiscated from the Rev. Charles ‘Slim’ Lake, a street preacher, were displayed at the police department’s property room.

Because Lake is a convicted felon, he cannot possess firearms.

JoEllen Smith, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, said that Adult Parole Authority officials searched one of Lake’s residences, although it was not clear which one, on Aug. 29. Although they did not initially find the guns, Lake was arrested, Ms. Smith said.

After he was booked into the jail, Lake reportedly told officials where the guns were and authorities confiscated 11 firearms. Three were reported stolen, two from Toledo and a third from Georgia, said police Sgt. Joe Heffernan.

The weapons were placed in the Toledo Police Department’s property room. Toledo police had not been contacted by Lake to make arrangements to turn over any weapons, Sergeant Heffernan said.

Ms. Smith said that because the investigation is ongoing, she could not answer more questions about the arrest, search warrant, or weapons seized.

Clerks from Lucas County Common Pleas Court and Toledo Municipal Court said they could not find search warrants filed in their respective systems. If a search warrant was sealed by a judge, it would not be searchable.

Lake was arrested in August, 2013, at the Hamilton Street address, the headquarters of Boss Angels, after police obtained a search warrant and reportedly found drugs inside the central-Toledo home. Lake was charged with four counts each of aggravated possession of drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs; two counts each of aggravated possession of drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs; and one count each of trafficking in drugs and trafficking in marijuana. His trial, which has been pushed back several times, is scheduled for Monday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at tdungjen@theblade.com, or 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @taylordungjen.