Drug charges pending against 5 in Fostoria

Drug-related charges are pending against five people after the Seneca County Drug Task Force METRICH Enforcement Unit executed search warrants at three Fostoria residences this week.

According to a release from METRICH, searches were conducted Tuesday and Wednesday at 711 Berkshire Drive, 145 E. Tiffin St. and 203 Independence Ave.

Charges are pending against Ronnie Tucker, 55, and Eric D. White, 33, who live at the Berkshire Drive residence; Hanna M. Bicknell, 21, who lives at the East Tiffin Street residence; and Abra L. Jackson, 31, and Andrew L. Taylor, 46, who live at the Independence Avenue residence.

Chuck Boyer, METRICH unit coordinator, said while no arrests were made this week, each person faces pending charges of trafficking heroin, possession of crack cocaine, trafficking crack cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of criminal tools and permitting drug abuse.

Boyer said crack cocaine valued at $400-$500 was found in the Berkshire Drive and East Tiffin Street residences and heroin residue was found at the Tiffin Street residence. Marijuana also was discovered at the Berkshire Drive residence, he said.

Although no illicit drugs were found at the Independence Drive residence, a substantial amount of cash was discovered, Boyer said. According to the release, criminal tools and items related to the investigation also were found there.

Boyer said METRICH has been conducting an investigation involving the five residents for about a year. He said the investigation involves distribution of crack cocaine.

"The investigation certainly hasn't stopped. There's a much bigger picture," Boyer said.

"We are going to continue to use all of our resources to battle and stay on top of this effort," Fostoria Police Chief Keith Loreno said in the release. "There are just too many good people and good families in this community being affected by these devastating drugs.

"The Fostoria Police Department along with the METRICH Unit agents have been very active the last few weeks, identifying and pursuing the dealers out of Toledo who are profiting from poisoning this community."

Originally published in the Advertiser Tribune on February 5, 2015.