Staff photo Ed Runyan.... A law enforcement officer with the words Police Federal Agent on his coat near a rear entrance door to QUICKmed Urgent Care, 3499 Belmont Avenue, Liberty. The FBI on Wednesday served a search warrant at the business, which is located just south of Walmart.

LIBERTY — FBI agents served a search warrant at the QUICKmed Urgent Care at 3499 Belmont Ave. on Wednesday.

FBI agents also were at the Youngstown City School District offices the same day.

The agency conducted “court-authorized activity” at the health care provider’s Belmont Avenue location, along with the company’s corporate location and additional locations, a news release from FBI Public Affairs Officer Susan Licate states.

“Due to the evolving nature of this matter, no additional information can be shared at this time,” Licate added.

Licate could not say if the two investigations were linked.

A reporter went to a house at 1185 Trails Edge Drive in Hubbard, which is listed on the website of the Trumbull County Auditor’s Office as a property owned by QUICKmed owner and founder Lena Esmail, seeking comment. The reporter was told to leave by a man in the house.

In a press release sent later Wednesday, QUICKmed stated it “continues to deliver service at all its locations” following its cooperation with federal agents.

“We continue to serve the community with pride, and all of our urgent care centers and school-based clinics will continue to operate as usual,” Esmail stated.

The release stated FBI agents asked for access to documents related to COVID-19, and that the company satisfied all requests instantaneously.

“We will continue to work transparently with government authorities,” the release stated.

“We are proud of the services we provide as the community health care partner, and we look forward to providing quality care to the communities we serve for years to come,” the release states.

YOUNGSTOWN

A source familiar with the Youngstown City School District, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the FBI interviewed Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor, Chief of Staff Robert Kearns, Treasurer Bryan Schiraldi, Chief of School Improvement Ava Yeager and some school board members.

The source said the investigation is tied to contracts that were proposed or secured by former Superintendent Justin Jennings.

“I think this just extends from the investigation that began just before he left the district, dealing with his contracts, dealing with ARPA and ESSER funds being mismanaged,” the source said. “I think they’re just diving into it more now and maybe there’s more evidence since the district had its audit.”

The source said Wednesday’s activity at the school began after the FBI searched QUICKmed.

“I personally believe this is not the last day we’ll see the FBI, because if you’re investigating and interviewing administrators and board members, evidently they already have some type of proof, I don’t think they would waste their time,” the source said. “I believe that every contract and many of the people hired by Justin Jennings are of interest to the FBI’s investigation.”

Youngstown Schools spokesperson Stacy Quinones said the district is cooperating with authorities but has no comment on the investigation.

QUICKmed has 12 care facilities in the Youngstown and Cleveland areas, according to its website. That includes six in the Mahoning Valley: Austintown, Cortland, Liberty, Warren, Youngstown and Columbiana.

QUICKmed clinics also found their way into the Liberty, Youngstown and Salem school districts, and one opened in Trumbull Career & Technical Center in Champion. Four of them have been set up in the Youngstown City School District, in part, because many students lack transportation to other care facilities, and because many area doctors are inundated with patients, Esmail said during a 2023 interview with this newspaper.

QUICKmed offers walk-in medical care for minor to moderate injuries and illnesses, as well as X-rays, drug screenings, IV fluid therapy treatments, immunizations, occupational and mental health services and treatment for urinary tract infections.

Throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, QUICKmed’s community outreach caused a staff increase of about 300% at all hospital locations working with QUICKmed for COVID-19 testing outside their facilities.

“We tested more people for COVID in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties than anyone else,” Esmail said last year.

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