On Wednesday, April 5, Whitehall Drug Unit Detectives along with the Whitehall/Reynoldsburg SWAT team served a search warrant at 3055 E. 8th Ave, Columbus, OH 43219. An investigation that began in Whitehall led police to this home where drugs were being sold. The home is approximately 300 feet away from East Columbus Elementary School. To ensure the safety of the neighborhood children, the SWAT team made entry at 6:00 AM, well before school began.
Inside the home police found and arrested two men who are suspected of selling drugs. The men were also trading drugs for Ohio Direction food stamp cards. Police recovered 20 Ohio Direction cards, 18 grams of Heroin, 5.5 grams of crack cocaine, oxycodone pills, and over $1600 cash believed to be from illicit drug sales.
Samuel Edwards, age 46, of 3055 E. 8th Ave, Columbus OH 43219, was arrested and charged with Possession of Drugs-Cocaine (F2) and Possession of Drugs-Heroin (F2). Michael P. Taylor, age 23, of 1007 Bellows Ave, Columbus OH, was arrested and charged with Possession of Drugs-Oxycodone (F5) and Illegal Possession of Food Stamps or WIC Benefits (F5). More charges are expected in the future.
“We discovered that these men were compromising the safety of the area children who pass this house while walking to and from school every day. These men selling drugs out of that home was a very dangerous situation,” said Sgt. Dennis Allen, Whitehall Drug Unit Supervisor.