COLUMBUS – The Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s office is making an effort to reduce gun violence in the county by asking for higher bond accounts for accused offenders who are illegally in possession of a firearm.
Under a new policy announced Monday by deputy chief counsel Anthony Pierson, Franklin County prosecutors will seek a minimum bond of $400,000 for anyone charged with possessing a weapon after being convicted of a violent felony involving drugs or violence, an offense known as “possessing a weapon under disability.”
“Gun violence is the primary threat to public safety in Franklin County. This new policy creates a consistent standard for prosecuting felons who are caught with a gun, and it puts them on notice that the illegal possession of a firearm will have severe consequences,” Pierson said.
Prosecutors have previously sought a variety of bond amounts for weapons under disability charges, often well below $400,000, Pierson said.
Judges will still maintain the final authority in setting bail amounts.
“I support this new approach from the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. This policy provides another effective tool in the fight against the gun violence that is plaguing our community,” said Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, whose office also recently announced a new policy to seek higher, tougher bonds for domestic violence offenses involving a firearm or significant bodily injury to the victim.
Receiver to take over operations at Latitude Five25 Apartments
The current owners of a troubled high-rise apartment complex on the East Side have been ordered to hand over the keys to the towers to a receivership group, Klein announced Monday.
The city obtained a court order to appoint a receiver to take over operations at the Latitude Five25 Apartments, which have been deemed uninhabitable since December 2022, when tenants were evacuated due to unsafe conditions Klein and other authorities blamed on years of neglect and mismanagement by ownership.
Under the plan outlined by Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Holbrook, the receivership group New Perspective Asset Management will take over day-to-day operations at the site, maintain security and develop a plan to bring the site back to productive use, Klein said.
“Turning the keys over to a receiver is a significant win as we can finally begin a new chapter following years of negligence and mismanagement by landlords that failed to meet even the most basic needs,” Klein said.
According to court documents, Paxe Latitude, the current owners of the property, must turn over the keys to the property and allow New Perspective to gain entry, evaluate the condition of the property, develop an appropriate rehabilitation plan to bring the property back to a usable state, and maintain the safety and security of the site throughout the receivership process until the eventual sale of the property, Klein said.
Additionally, New Perspective will develop a plan for former tenants to retrieve any remaining personal property once asbestos contamination in the aftermath of the 2022 emergency evacuation is cleaned up, Klein said.