On April 28, 2026, 36-year-old Melissa Burch of Benwood entered a guilty plea to Obstructing an Officer, according to a press release distributed by Ohio County Prosecutor Shawn Turak.
The arrest was made by City of Wheeling Police Department officers due to Burch trespassing at the former homeless camp on December 2, 2025. Officers were initially dispatched to the former homeless camp on the report of a fire, which was confirmed to be in a metal barrel. Burch was found on scene and ordered to leave, given the City of Wheeling Council’s decision to shut the camp down.
Burch refused to leave and was told she would be issued a citation for Trespassing. She was ordered to accompany the arresting officer to a nearby police cruiser for the purpose of issuing the citation. After refusing to comply with multiple orders issued by the arresting officer and her continued attempts to walk away, Burch was then placed under arrest and taken into custody when she began actively resisting arrest.
At a hearing in the Ohio County Magistrate Court on April 28, 2026, Burch pleaded guilty to Obstructing an Officer and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, suspended for 6 months of probation. The Trespassing charge was dismissed.
