A quiet early morning on Gallia Street was shattered around 4:45 a.m. when a resident called 911 to report two to three individuals banging on their door and entering their basement through an outside access point.
When police arrived, they discovered a familiar name inside: Evan Mallory, a chronically homeless man with a lengthy history of low-level crimes and probation violations.
Mallory was taken into custody on charges of failure to appear, probation violation, and obstructing official business.
But just hours later, he appeared in Portsmouth Municipal Court — and was once again released back onto the streets, this time on his own recognizance, with a court date set for March 3.
A Pattern of Arrests and Releases
This incident is far from Mallory’s first brush with law enforcement:
- February 2025: Convicted of possessing drug paraphernalia, sentenced to probation.
- 2023: Arrested and convicted for sleeping in a city park; repeatedly violated probation terms.
- 2019: Charged with obstructing official business, resisting arrest, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Each time, a familiar pattern unfolds: arrest, court appearance, probation or release — and then, more trouble.
A Crisis Beyond One Man
While some might view this as simply another nuisance call or petty arrest, the bigger picture tells a different story — one of a city grappling with a growing homelessness crisis.
With shelters often at capacity and addiction or mental health issues frequently at play, individuals like Mallory cycle through the system with few long-term solutions in sight. The Counseling Center’s day shelter initiative at 802 Washington Street has offered a glimmer of hope — providing access to food, hygiene services, and case management. But the need far outweighs the available resources.
❓What Now?
Should a man with a known record of probation violations and ongoing instability really be returned to the streets over and over again?
Is the revolving door of jail and release helping anyone — the individual, the courts, or the community?
📣 We want to hear from you: What’s the solution? More shelter beds? Stricter consequences? Better mental health and addiction services?
