Struthers Home Invasion Suspect Arrested During Youngstown Traffic Stop

It’s always the middle-of-the-night stops that unravel something bigger.

That’s exactly what happened when Youngstown police pulled over an SUV just after midnight on West Hylda Avenue. A routine traffic stop for dark window tint turned serious fast. Inside the car, officers smelled burnt marijuana—and that gave them the green light to search. Under the passenger seat? A loaded .40-caliber handgun.

The man sitting there was 30-year-old Jimmy Figueroa. He admitted the gun was his. But this wasn’t just about a firearm. Figueroa had a past—one that legally barred him from owning any weapons. And worse, he was already wanted by Struthers police for a violent home invasion back in March.

It didn’t take long for things to escalate. By the end of the night, Figueroa was booked into Mahoning County jail. His charges? Aggravated burglary. Felonious assault. Possession of a firearm by a felon. Improper handling of a weapon in a vehicle. Each one carries serious time.

If you live around Youngstown or Struthers, you’ve probably heard about the home invasion. Maybe it’s been the talk of your street or your neighborhood WhatsApp group. But now, with Figueroa in custody, the case is finally starting to move forward.

What do you think—is this arrest a step toward closure, or just the start of something deeper? Let’s talk in the comments.

Traffic Stop Leads to Arrest of Armed Felon

I can tell you right now, this wasn’t just a lucky catch—it was solid police work meeting perfect timing.

You’ve probably seen tinted SUVs all over Youngstown, but when officers stopped one around 12:20 a.m. on Saturday, they noticed more than just a violation. The smell of burnt marijuana coming from inside gave them cause to dig deeper.

And under that front passenger seat? A loaded .40-caliber handgun. No hesitation. The man sitting there—Jimmy Figueroa—admitted it was his. But what makes this more serious is that Figueroa isn’t just any driver caught with a gun.

He’s a convicted felon. A 2016 drug trafficking case from Mahoning County already made it illegal for him to even touch a firearm, let alone carry one loaded under his seat.

That one traffic stop opened the door to far more than a weapons charge. Turns out, he was the man Struthers police had been looking for in a violent home invasion that left a man shot.

What Happened During the March Struthers Home Invasion?

I went back and checked the details—and trust me, this wasn’t just a break-in gone wrong.

Back on March 19th, according to reports from WKBN, Figueroa and another man forced their way into a home on Frank Street in Struthers. A woman—someone who reportedly knew Figueroa—was inside. She told police he pointed a gun at her and threatened her life. She ran.

Seconds later, she heard two gunshots. One man inside the home was shot in the leg. The attackers fled.

Can you imagine being in that moment—threatened, hearing gunfire, then watching them run? The emotional impact on that woman and the victim goes far beyond headlines. And the fear it triggered in the neighborhood hasn’t really faded.

For months, officers tried to track Figueroa down. Surveillance video showed the car he used that night. When they went to a known location linked to him, they found someone else—but not him. He disappeared into the background. Until now.

Violent break-ins have unfortunately become more common across Ohio—like the Bath Township case where a suspect was shot by police after stabbing a homeowner during a home invasion.

Who Is Jimmy Figueroa?

I won’t lie—this isn’t his first time on law enforcement’s radar.

If you’ve lived in this area long enough, the name might sound familiar. Back in 2016, Figueroa was convicted of trafficking heroin in Mahoning County. That felony conviction made it illegal for him to own or carry a firearm.

Yet here we are, nearly a decade later, and he’s being picked up for riding with a loaded gun while already wanted for a violent home invasion and shooting.

You can’t ignore the pattern. And neither can the court. Right now, he’s facing multiple charges: aggravated burglary, felonious assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and improper handling of a weapon in a motor vehicle.

If you’re wondering how serious that stack of charges is—well, we’ll get into that in the next section.

Charges Filed and What They Mean

Let me break this down for you because legal terms like “aggravated burglary” or “felonious assault” can sound technical—but these are not soft charges.

Aggravated burglary in Ohio means someone entered a place with a deadly weapon and intended to harm or terrorize someone. It’s a first-degree felony, and it can carry anywhere from 3 to 11 years in prison.

Felonious assault means causing serious harm or using a deadly weapon to try. That’s a second-degree felony—also very serious.

Then there’s being a felon in possession of a firearm—a third-degree felony, which on its own could land him 9 to 36 months.

And finally, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle—a fourth-degree felony. It might sound minor, but when added to everything else, it strengthens the case.

So if you’re wondering what kind of time Figueroa could be facing—it’s not light. These charges stacked together could easily add up to more than a decade behind bars, especially with his prior record.

This isn’t the only case where multiple suspects were picked up days or weeks apart—a similar two-arrest case was reported in Washington County not too long ago.

Co-Defendant Clemale Bills and His Role in the Crime

What makes this case even more layered is that Figueroa wasn’t acting alone.

You might not have heard much about Clemale Bills unless you’ve been following this closely. He’s also 30, and according to the same complaint filed in Struthers Municipal Court, he was right there with Figueroa the night of the shooting.

After the home invasion, police tracked down the car seen on surveillance and found Bills inside. At first, he gave them a fake name. But when police confronted him with video evidence of him and Figueroa together during the shooting, his reply was chillingly simple: “Well, then take me to jail, then.”

He was indicted on June 26 and has been in Mahoning County jail ever since. His charges mirror Figueroa’s: aggravated burglary and felonious assault.

If you look at both arrests side by side, it’s clear this was a coordinated attack. And with both suspects now in custody, police may be able to piece together the full story.

What’s your take on both suspects being caught months apart? Drop your thoughts in the comments—this case definitely left the community talking.

What Happens Next in Court?

I know what you’re probably thinking: “He’s caught. Now what?” Let’s walk through what usually happens next.

Figueroa is expected to be arraigned on Monday in Youngstown Municipal Court for the charges tied to the traffic stop—like firearm possession and improper handling. That’s the start of the local legal process.

But the Struthers charges—aggravated burglary and felonious assault—will likely follow a separate path, moving toward Struthers Municipal Court or even Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, depending on how prosecutors structure it.

If he pleads not guilty, this could lead to a full trial. If he pleads guilty or accepts a deal, sentencing could come fast. Either way, you and I can expect to see his name in court updates over the coming weeks.

If you’ve ever followed a criminal case in this area, you know how these things go—it starts with charges, and then it’s all about what can be proven in court.

Similar patterns of coordinated home invasions were seen earlier this year, like in Powhatan Point where three suspects were arrested in another armed break-in case.

Safety Tips and How to Report Info

I’m not here just to talk headlines—I want to make sure you walk away with something useful.

If this case made you uneasy, there are simple things you can do right now to boost your home’s safety:

• Install motion-sensor lights around entrances
• Use deadbolts and smart locks if possible
• Check that your security cameras actually work—and place them visibly
• Talk to neighbors and create a text or WhatsApp alert group for emergencies

And if you have any information related to this case or others like it, you can report anonymously to Mahoning Valley Crime Stoppers or contact Struthers Police Department directly.

Sometimes, the tip that cracks a case wide open comes from someone who didn’t even realize what they saw mattered.

Final Thoughts

Let me leave you with something to think about.

This isn’t just about one guy with a gun. It’s about a bigger pattern. According to the latest crime stats from Ohio’s public safety data, home invasions and violent break-ins have been climbing steadily since 2022—especially in mid-sized cities like Youngstown and its surrounding neighborhoods.

And when the same names keep showing up in mugshots—guys like Figueroa with prior convictions—you start to wonder how effective the system really is at stopping repeat offenders.

I know you feel it. That tension when a car rolls by slow at night. The way we double-check the locks even when it’s bright out. We’re not just reacting to the news—we’re adapting to it.

So maybe this arrest is just one name off the streets. But for you and me, it’s also a reminder that staying aware, staying involved, and knowing what’s happening in our neighborhoods still matters more than ever.

For more updates on similar home invasion cases, explore our full coverage in the Home Security section of Build Like New.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on police reports and public records available at the time of publication. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Details may evolve as the investigation continues.