BORDERLAND
Man who hid murder suspect gets probation
5/22/2014A Toledo man convicted of trying to hide a murder suspect was placed on community control Wednesday for two years.
Joel Brown, 26, of 2924 N. Ontario St., had been indicted for obstructing justice and having weapons while under disability. He entered an Alford plea May 7 to attempted obstructing justice before Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Gary Cook.
The judge ordered him to spend 60 more days on electronic monitoring, perform 40 hours of community service, and undergo random drug testing. He also ordered that the handgun found when Brown was arrested be destroyed.
Brown was arrested Jan. 29 after Toledo police and U.S. Marshals went to the North Ontario Street address in search of Phillip Allen, Jr., 22, who was wanted for aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and aggravated burglary for the May 18 death of James Safadi in his Waterville Township home. They found Allen hiding in the attic.