9 arrested in Delphos city drug bust

Van Wert independent/Delphos PD information

DELPHOS – Nine people were arrested on drug-related charges and two others on non-drug charges as a result of a drug bust held late last week.

Delphos Police Chief Kyle Fittro said the latest operation is a continuation of drug enforcement efforts begun four years ago.

“During late 2009, we began to notice an increase in drug-related activity and crime within the city of Delphos,” Chief Fittro said, “(with) the majority of this being attributed to heroin and opiate-based pain pills.”

In May 2010, the Delphos Police Department, with assistance from other members of the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force, arrested 19 people as part of its first large-scale drug enforcement-related effort.

In 2011, five people were arrested for drug trafficking, while 14 people were arrested on 43 separate charges as a result of a drug operation that culminated in March 2012.

Arrested in the latest drug bust last Friday were the following people:

• Lola D. Busch, 65, of Delphos, three counts of trafficking in prescription drugs.
• William L. Smith, 36, of Delphos, three counts of trafficking in heroin.
• Jesse J. Blackburn, 21, of Delphos, one count of trafficking in heroin.

• Candy J. (Diltz) Brooks, 49, of Delphos, three counts of trafficking in heroin.
• Lyle L. Diltz, 47, of Delphos, two counts of trafficking in heroin.
• Justin W. Diltz, 59, of Delphos, three counts of trafficking in heroin, one felony count of possession of heroin and three counts of permitting drug abuse, with a vehicle specification.
• Jeremy J. Detwiler, 21, no address listed, but formerly of Delphos, one count of trafficking in heroin, and two counts of receiving stolen property (in connection with a Delphos burglary that occurred in July). Detwiler is currently being held by the Columbus Police Department, with plans to extradite him.
• Catherine E. Wilson, 25, formerly of Delphos, four counts of trafficking in heroin. Wilson is also being held by the Columbus PD, with plans to extradite her to Van Wert County.
• Korey D. Briggs, 28, of Fort Jennings, one count of trafficking in heroin.

Several of those arrested in Friday’s drug bust were arraigned in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on Monday.

Chief Fittro said his department anticipates several additional arrests in connection with the latest drug interdiction efforts conducted by his department and the WCOCTF, which is comprised of officers from the Delphos PD, as well as the Allen County and Van Wert County sheriff’s departments, Lima Police Department and state and federal agencies.

The task force also works with the Putnam and Paulding sheriff’s departments.