The sheriff’s office on Friday announced the arrest of Hugo Avendano, 32, by Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies in Florida on warrants issued by Miami County.
Duchak said Avendano is fighting extradition and that his office is working with local prosecutors to have him returned to Ohio.
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Deputies in Florida told local investigators that Avendano was working in construction in the Pasco County area when he reported the theft of $10,000 from his vehicle, Duchak said. A check on Avendano turned up the warrants from Miami County, the sheriff said.
Avendano is one of eight suspects in the drug ring. Four have been convicted and sentenced, and detectives are working with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend the other three suspects. They are: Dora Avendano, 37, formerly of Tipp City; Jose Galvin, 32, formerly of New Carlisle; and Ricardo Mondragon, 26, formerly of Dayton.
FIRST REPORT
The fifth of eight suspects in a large Tipp City drug ring was caught in Florida, the Miami County Sheriff’s Office announced today.
Hugo Avendano, 32, formerly of Tipp City, was apprehended by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office on warrants from Miami County.
He was indicted last year in connection to a large-scale narcotic operating involving the import and distribution of heroin and methamphetamine in the Miami Valley, the Miami County Sheriff’s Office said.
Four co-defendants have been convicted and sentenced earlier this year.
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Avendano is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity; drug trafficking; and money laundering.
He is in jail in Florida, and is fighting his extradition to Ohio, the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives are working with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend the other three suspects. They are: Dora Avendano, 37, formerly of Tipp City; Gose Galvin, 32, formerly of New Carlisle; and Ricardo Mondragon, 26, formerly of Dayton.
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