188 fake Oxycodone pills suspected of containing fentanyl found during METRICH raids

Two METRICH raids Thursday netted authorities a cache of 188 fake Oxycodone pills that officials suspect contain fentaynl, according to Mansfield police Lt. Joseph Petrycki.

Also found during the raids — the first one at 264 E. First St. and later at a storage unit on West Longview Avenue — were two guns, $750 cash and drug paraphernalia, Petrycki said in a news release. The first search warrant was served at 6:45 a.m.

As a result of the search warrants, Akeem Tubbs, 28, of 264 E. First St., was charged with two counts of trafficking in drugs and two counts of possession of drugs, all felonies of the first degree; trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree; and having weapons while under disability, a felony of the third degree, according to METRICH.

Tubbs is incarcerated at the Richland County Jail pending his appearance in court. Further charges may be forwarded to the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office, according to METRICH authorities.
The METRICH Enforcement Unit, with assistance from the Mansfield Division of Police and the Allied Special Operations Response Team (ASORT) conducted the drug-related search warrants after a short-term investigation. The search warrants were signed by Mansfield Municipal Court Judge Jerry Ault.

“This investigation was a response to overdoses related to the use of suspected fake Oxycodone tablets and we would like to thank the individuals in the community who provided information that assisted in the investigation” said Petrycki, the METRICH commander. "METRICH will continue to target suspected drug dealers in the community, especially those that are selling Fentanyl.”

Originally published in the News Journal on June 28, 2018