Madison County trying to seize two motels, the site of repeated drug activity

Aug. 29--GRANITE CITY -- Madison County is filing in court to take possession of two Granite City motels where police have found repeated drug activity.

Last month, Granite City Police seized the Canal Motel on Chain of Rocks Road from Mavani & Sons Inc., and the Relax Inn on Niedringhaus Avenue from the Velani Brothers Corp.

The Madison County State's Attorney's Office has now filed under drug asset forfeiture laws to take the properties, according to motions filed in the Third Circuit Court.

"You're talking about the nexus of a lot of very serious criminal activity," said State's Attorney Tom Gibbons. "(Community leaders) have a situation that, after a long time of trying to resolve it, has reached a dead end... We have to take some definitive action. We want to do everything we can to support their efforts to keep their community safe and protect their citizens."

The filings stated that on three occasions since 2012, police have busted drug labs or found residents in possession of drugs in the rooms of the Canal Motel. In addition, a tenant fatally overdosed on heroin, ethanol and three other intoxicants and was found in one of the rooms last year.

Likewise, the Relax Inn has seen four drug busts in the last year alone, as well as another victim of a fatal overdose discovered in one of the rooms.

The owners of both motels are represented by Edwardsville attorney Tad Armstrong. Armstrong said they are engaged in "very sensitive negotiations that hold out some hope of resolution," and could not comment further on the cases until those negotiations are concluded.

Gibbons said that the state Department of Public Health has put both business on notice over the past few years, and municipal leaders as well as the police have been in "constant communication" with the owners.

"These things don't just happen without having been through a substantial effort at the local level," Gibbons said. "It would be safe to say this is something they've been trying to resolve in a positive way for a long period of time."

While drug forfeiture cases are fairly common for cars and houses, seizing an operating business is more complicated -- but not without precedent, Gibbons said. He said there have been at least two other hotels seized in recent years, in Granite City and Alton.

"This definitive and drastic action is being taken when all parties have reached an impasse," Gibbons said. "Apparently there is no way to resolve this pleasantly and affirmatively by the business owner."

However, it will be a complicated process, Gibbons said, and the owners will have the opportunity to defend themselves in court. Armstrong already has filed motions to dismiss, which were denied in court in July.

In the meantime, Gibbons said, the owners are required to continue paying the real estate taxes and insurance, maintaining the motels as is and cannot sell the properties or borrow money on them until the court makes its final determination.

Gibbons said a decision on what will happen to the motels if the county takes them over has not yet been made.

Contact reporter Elizabeth Donald at [email protected] or 618-239-2507.

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