Staff writer
The doors of a Canton Township bar were padlocked Friday afternoon for at least the next week as the Washington County district attorney's office tries to have it declared a public nuisance.
President Judge Debbie O'Dell Seneca issued a temporary injunction Friday, closing Cozy Corner, 22 Euclid Ave. She will have a hearing Sept. 12 on a permanent injunction that would close the bar, owned by Shirley Ann and John Cossu Jr., Joni Earley and Cossu Corp., for a year.
Sheriff's deputies served the order Friday afternoon on Shirley Ann Cossu as a member of the district attorney's Illegal Slots Task Force put padlocks on the three doors. She said nothing as she locked the front door before the detective padlocked the front door.
The bar has been the subject of an ongoing investigation by state police and county detectives, said District Attorney Steve Toprani. The complaint is attempting to have it closed both as a public and drug nuisance because of the number of drug calls.
In July, state police and members of the slots task force served a search warrant on the bar and seized several illegal gambling devices.
An undercover task force detective went to the bar in June, played each of the gambling devices and received payoffs.
John Cossu Jr., 60, was charged with possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct during the raid. Also arrested was Robert Steele, who was wanted on drug charges in Osceola County, Fla. State police Liquor Control Enforcement agents cited the bar for serving alcohol to patrons on credit.
"We have been seeing increasing problems over the summer," Toprani said. "And the owners have been unwilling to clean up the problems."
State police have received numerous complaints about the bar from residents in the area. The complaint filed with the court outlines numerous calls answered by state police at the bar dating back to 2005.
"The state police have been receiving an inordinate amount of calls for everything from drug sales to altercations, sexual and aggravated assaults," Toprani said. "They've even had people from an outlaw motorcycle gang, the Barbarians Motorcycle Club from McDonald, at the bar."
State police reports were attached to the complaint.
Toprani said residents of the area lived in fear.
"We decided we couldn't let this continue any further, so we got the preliminary injunction," Toprani said.
While Cozy Corner may be the first nuisance bar targeted by Toprani's office, it is likely not the last. It has been more than a decade since a tavern in Washington County has been closed as a nuisance bar.
"We are putting area bar owners on notice: If you attract or permit dangerous and illicit activity on your premises, we will take all necessary legal action to protect our residents," Toprani said.