Federal agents still tracking down remaining suspects in multi-state drug ring

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Federal agents are working to get all 19 people accused of taking part in a large drug ring into custody.

Prosecutors of and the DEA announced the charges yesterday and said it was a nine-month investigation into the operation that spanned across six states.

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According to the federal charges, the organization processes and stored their drugs in 13 different homes and apartments around the Dayton area, including one off East Siebenthaler Avenue.

People that work at nearby businesses told News Center 7 that a SWAT team hit the home early Thursday morning.

Investigators said they served 17 search warrants and seized money, multiple firearms, and large amounts of drugs, including fentanyl.

“A kilogram of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman. “If you think about a tiny dose of fentanyl, how deadly that can be.”

Prosecutors identified 33-year-old Crawford Bogle and 26-year-old Savon Pope as the group’s ringleaders.

Investigators said they tried to hide their profits by buying expensive vehicles, which them claim 36-year-old Bryan Barney helped them hide with fake dealer tags so no one knew the real owners.

But at least one person isn’t happy about the raids.

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Rolando Booker said his mother’s house was incorrectly identified in the raids.

“They kicked the door in,” Booker said. “They basically kicked the door in, looking for a person.”

He said investigators were looking for one of the 19 people charged, but no one in the home knew them or was involved in the drug ring.

Booker used his own money to buy his mom a new door and wants to be reimbursed.

“Heck yeah, $300 dollars, that’s a lot of money,” he said. “That’s half my rent; that’s half my mom’s rent. We could all use that money.”

We asked federal officials about Booker’s situation and are waiting for a reply.

But investigators made it clear they’re happy with shutting down a ring that’s been selling and storing drugs like cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and meth in area homes.

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“We’re not going to stop until we have the ultimate sources of supply, wherever they may be,” Glassman said.

Prosecutors say during the raids Thursday morning they recovered large amount of cash and drugs and that they’ve made large dents in drug-selling operations in the Dayton area.

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