Drug Task Force Investigation Results in 9 Arrests

Sheriff Al Solomon released information on nine drug arrests that took place on Friday morning.  The arrests were a result of several months of investigation by the Auglaize / Mercer County Grand Lake Drug Task Force. 

On Friday morning members of the Grand Lake Drug Task Force, deputies and officers from Wapakoneta, St. Marys, Cridersville Police Depts. and Allen County Drug Task Force began serving Grand Jury indictments.  9 Adults were taken into custody and brought to the AuglaizeCountyCorrectionalCenter.  Those arrested were the following:

Lesley Oakes, age 31, Lima, Ohio.  Four counts trafficking in cocaine.

Ross Durr, age 40, Lima, Ohio. Three counts trafficking in cocaine.

Humphrey Knight, age 53, Lima, Ohio.  Three counts trafficking in cocaine. One count trafficking in prescription medication.

Gerald Lamb, age 27, Cridersville, Ohio. Three counts trafficking in marijuana. One count trafficking in prescription medication.

Kendra Van Atta, age 22, Cridersville, Ohio.  One count trafficking in marijuana.

Ellen Dyer, age 43, Cridersville, Ohio. Four counts trafficking in prescription medication.

Sherri Poppe, age 32, St. Marys, Ohio. One count trafficking in prescription medication.

Sara Lee, age 32, Wapakoneta, Ohio. Five counts trafficking in prescription medication.

Steven Moots, age 52, Lima, Ohio. Four counts trafficking in prescription medication.

One person remains at large and had not been located at the time of this release.   Another is currently in the AllenCountyCorrectionalCenter on other charges.  The names of these two individuals are not being released.  The charges on these two are also drug trafficking charges.  Also during the arrests one search warrant was executed that resulted in the confiscation of drugs and cash.

Sheriff Solomon commented on the hard work involved in these investigations and the persistence the Sheriff’s Office and Drug Task Force and all other Law Enforcement agencies in this area have fighting the battle of the drug problems.  “We really are working hard and doing everything we can to combat the drug issue but it seems that when one is taken into custody another replaces that person.  But, we will keep fighting.  The Drug investigations continue and more arrests will be coming in the future.”