Arrests made on grand jury indictments

VW independent/Sheriff’s Office information

Van Wert County Sheriff Thomas M. Riggenbach announced several arrests on Friday, including secret drug indictments and one arrest on sex-related counts.

Three people were arrested on warrants stemming from Van Wert County Grand Jury indictments handed down Friday for drug-related offenses.

Those arrested include:

Joshua D. Roberts, 32, of Van Wert – one count of trafficking in marijuana, a felony of the third degree, and three counts of trafficking in marijuana, all fourth-degree felony offenses.

Elizabeth Roberts, 26, of Van Wert – two counts of complicity to trafficking in marijuana, both felonies of the fourth degree.

Ruby Hollingsworth, 55, of Van Wert, three counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, all third-degree felony offenses.

The three persons arrested will be held in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility until they are arraigned this coming week in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

In addition, a fourth person, Elmeco Crisp, 38, of Celina, was indicted on a charge of trafficking in drugs within the vicinity of a juvenile, a felony of the fourth degree, but was already in custody in the Mercer County Jail on unrelated charges.

Sheriff Riggenbach said the arrests were the result of drug investigations conduced by the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force. During the course of the investigation, several pounds of marijuana, as well as fentanyl patches, were sold.

The sheriff went on to say that his office, and the task force will continue to aggressively investigate all reported drug activity in Van Wert County and urges county residents to continue to provide his office with information on drug and other criminal activity.

To do so, call the sheriff’s office at 419.238.3866 or access the office’s website at www.vanwertcountysheriff.com and click on the “submit a crime tip” link. People can also call Van Wert County Crime Stoppers at 419.238.STOP and provide information there.

Those providing tips can remain anonymous while doing so and the sheriff urges those to choose to remain anonymous to provide as much detail as they can about the information they report.

The West Central Ohio Crime Task Force consists of investigators from the Allen County, Van Wert County and Paulding County sheriff’s offices, the Lima Police Department and several state and federal agencies.

Also Friday, Sheriff Riggenbach announced the arrest of Michael T. Vandagriff, 38, of Convoy on two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material or performance, both felonies of the second degree.

Vandagriff was indicted on the charges by a recent session of the grand jury, following an investigation that included FBI agents. Vandagriff was arrested on the indictment by officers from the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Police Department and is being held in the Allen County (Indiana) Jail until extradition can be arranged to return him to Van Wert County.