July 22, 1998
Raid in Fostoria nets $50K in cocaine
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
FOSTORIA -- Officers from several departments participated in a raid near downtown which netted an estimated $50,000 in cocaine.
Michael G. Kreais Jr., 21, 301 E. High St., Fostoria, was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine after a warranted search was conducted at his home. More charges may follow, said Seneca County Sheriff H. Weldin Neff.
He said the warrant was conducted Tuesday afternoon with officers from the sheriff's office and Fostoria Police Department participating.
Lt. James Browning, of the sheriff's office, said Kreais lived with his mother and grandmother and he was selling the drugs out of the home.
''He had people calling and wanting dope while we were there,'' Browning said.
The investigation indicates Kreais had been selling drugs for several months, he said. Kreais was already under a three-count drug indictment and had been released on a cash bond, Browning said.
Neff said the officers recovered more than 500 grams of cocaine and $2,500 in cash, along with a small amount of marijuana and some drug paraphernalia. The cocaine was still in kilo form and appeared to be very pure, he said.
The cocaine would have a street value of about $50,000 if sold in gram form, Browning said. The cocaine normally would be cut many times and distributed ultimately in smaller amounts of about a gram, he said.
Neff said it is unusual to have this much cocaine packaged in kilo form.
While the Fostoria Police Department and Seneca County Drug Task Force took part, it was part of an ongoing investigation by the sheriff's office, Neff said. The sheriff's office has been working on curtailing drug activity in the county for several months, and this search was part of the ongoing investigation.
Kreais is being held in the Seneca County Jail and is to appear in Fostoria Municipal Court.