Searching for heroin

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An alleged drug overdose led law enforcement officials to two Seneca County residences in the last few days, unveiling suspected heroin and LSD, as well as drug paraphernalia and criminal tools.

Officials first discovered drugs inside a Circular Street residence Thursday, after police and ambulance personnel were called to the scene for an alleged overdose, according to a release from Seneca County Drug Task Force - METRICH Enforcement Unit.

METRICH agents and Tiffin Police detectives conducted a search warrant at 338 Circular St., the residence of Jason Lebay, 32, and Jessica Lebay, 34, the release states, where suspected heroin and LSD, drug paraphernalia and criminal tools were found, the release states.

Items recovered from the residence were sent to a drug lab, where - depending on results - charges against the Lebays may include possession of heroin, possession of LSD and permitting felony drug abuse, according to the release.

A day later, after fleeing the scene of an accident at the intersection of Circular and Melmore streets, Jason Lebay was charged with hit-skip, driving while under an OVI suspension, a red-light violation and for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Lebay was taken to the Seneca County Jail where he posted bond, Tiffin Municipal Court Judge Mark Repp said Monday.

As agents continued their investigation into the suspected heroin abuse, officials were led Sunday night to Brook Park Trailer Court, 2400 S. TR 199.

There, a search warrant uncovered suspected heroin, drug paraphernalia, criminal tools and money at Lot 33, the residence of Myndi A. Opp, 30 and Israel B. Greene, 31, according to the release from METRICH.

Both were arrested following the search, and Greene was charged with possession of heroin, and Opp for permitting felony drug abuse, the release states

Additional charges for Opp and Greene also are pending pursuant to lab results of substances recovered, according to the release.

Repp said Greene and Opp appeared in court Monday morning where they each were given $20,000 cash bonds.

Jason Lebay also appeared Monday and was sentenced to 10 days in jail for a probation violation after opiates and oxycontin were discovered in his system, Repp said.

"I want them to start getting clean," Repp said. "This is tough love."

METRICH Unit Coordinator Charles Boyer said heroin abuse recently has become an issue in the area and the highly addictive drug has been making its way to the county from the Columbus and Mansfield areas.

"This is out there and something we need to be aware of," Repp said.

In the release, Boyer said the execution of the search warrants are just small examples of what area law enforcement plans on doing to combat heroin, a devastating drug to the people who abuse it and to the community it plagues,

"The withdrawal is just bad," Boyer said. "It's highly, highly addictive."

Boyer said Monday night an investigation continues, as law enforcement officials monitor and pursue drug enforcement involving heroin.