A fire early Saturday in the West End damaged a three-story apartment building and sent one man to a hospital.

        The 2:30 a.m. blaze, on Logan Street, took firefighters 15 minutes to control, Cincinnati District Fire Chief Anson Turley said.

        When firefighters arrived, the heavy fire in the hallway blocked residents from getting out and forced them to use fire escapes.

        A man trapped in one apartment was rescued by firefighters and taken to University Hospital, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and released.

        The man's identification was not available Saturday.

        Cincinnati Fire Division's Engine 5 responded.

        The fire caused $50,000 in damage to the building, which has four apartments. Officials are still investigating the cause.
       

Teacher arrested in
Internet sex sting

               A Columbus physical education teacher was arrested at a downtown Cincinnati hotel Saturday in an undercover Internet sting, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen.

        Sheriff's deputies made the arrest at the Holiday Inn on Lynn Street, Mr. Allen said.

        The man, whose name was not released, thought he was meeting a teen-ager he had met over the Internet. Authorities say the man sent sexually explicit material through an Internet chat room.

        They say he spoke several times with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but the person he corresponded with was actually a sheriff's investigator. The investigator arranged a meeting at the hotel. When the man drove from Columbus, prosecutors say, he was arrested.

        Sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett confirmed the arrest.

        “There are individuals out there who want to prey on young people,” Mr. Allen said. “We're going to continue to be vigilant.”
       

Car theft suspect
nabbed in Cadillac

               A 21-year-old Cincinnati man was charged with auto theft early Saturday as he tried to take a car from an auto repair lot, police said.

        Tyree Davis was seen backing a 1988 Cadillac Seville out of an auto repair lot in the 5000 block of Ravenna Avenue in Madisonville. He was stopped and arrested by Cincinnati police.

        According to police reports, Mr. Davis told police a “dude” gave him the car. He said he knew it was stolen but took it because he needed a vehicle.

        Mr. Davis was being held at the Hamilton County jail.
       

Stolen weapons
still being tracked

               HAMILTON — Twen ty-three of 30 stolen rifles recovered by Butler County sheriff's deputies were found in a self-storage facility outside Florence.

        Lt. Greg Blankenship said Saturday that one of four men his department arrested Friday led them to the storage unit, near an Econo Lodge motel on Ky. 338.

        Forty-five rifles were taken during a break-in at an armory in northern Butler County on Oct. 20. At the request of the armory, its location was not disclosed.

        Arrested were: David Robinson, 21, charged with breaking and entering and receiving stolen property; and Brian Gibson, 23, Donnie Rarden, 30, and Nick Fagley, 21, receiving stolen property.

        Seven other weapons were confiscated from various locations in Ohio. Deputies are still searching for the remaining 15 weapons.

        Of the weapons recovered, 23 were M-1 military rifles and seven were Russian-made RPK military rifles, heavy-barrel variations of the AK-47.
       

Church to hold
AIDS benefit

               An AIDS benefit will be held next Sunday at the Mount Zion United Methodist Church, Walnut Hills, to help those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

        The event is sponsored by AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Greater Cincinnati.

        A ministerial procession will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the service will be at 6 p.m. at the church, 3025 Walter Ave.

        Information, 961-4817.
       

Inmate charged
in HIV exposure

               LANCASTER, Ohio — An inmate at the Southeastern Correctional Institution was indicted on assault charges for allegedly exposing three other inmates to the virus that causes AIDS.

        Brian E. Jones, who is serving a three- to 15-year sentence for drug possession and drug trafficking, allegedly had sex with the inmates without telling them he was HIV-positive.

        A law that took effect March 23 prohibits an HIV-positive person from having sex with someone without first revealing that he or she carries the virus, Fairfield County Prosecutor David Landefeld said.

        “As far as I know, this is the first case of this happening at a prison in Ohio,” Mr. Landefeld said.
       

Social Security
card sale admitted

               A former Social Security Administration employee in Cincinnati has pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful sale of identification cards.

        Willis Williams, 22, entered his plea Friday in U.S. District Court, prosecutors said.

        Mr. Williams used an office computer to generate about 40 fake Social Security cards between January and August and sold them for about $40,000, prosecutors said.

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