Police searching Highland Co. for Hillsboro man wanted from Wilmington drug bust

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A Hillsboro man is being sought by law enforcement on criminal firearm charges after he was involved in a Wilmington drug bust earlier this year, according to authorities.

Officers are currently on the hunt for Trenton Zumwalde, 22, who is believed to be in the Highland County area, according to Detective Scott Baker of the Wilmington Police Department.

“We believe Zumwalde is armed and dangerous at this time,” Baker said, urging residents to use caution and contact local authorities if they see Zumwalde.

Baker told The Times-Gazette that Zumwalde, who has a criminal record in Highland County, was recently indicted by a Clinton County Grand Jury for felony firearm violations, charges stemming from a May drug bust at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Wilmington, where local law enforcement officers and agents with the Greater Warren County Drug Task Force confiscated large quantitities of contraband, including more than a pound of crystal methamphetamine, cash, a white Lexus believed to have been bought with drug money, and two handguns, one of which was in Zumwalde’s possession.

According to a case summary provided to The Times-Gazette by Baker, Zumwalde and a New Vienna man, Jesse Carpenter, were found in a hotel room with the handgun, ammunition, syringes and a small amount of marijuana after authorities knocked on the door and heard the toilet flush a number of times.

Zumwalde was arrested on a Highland County warrant for probation violations in a drug trafficking case, and was sent to prison several days later, according to court records.

Online records show Zumwalde was released from prison in July, and has since been under supervision by the Adult Parole Authority.

A federal drug trafficking case is pending against Foryst Rios and Karie Price, who were also arrested at the hotel after officers found drugs, cash and a pistol in the room in which they were staying, as well as more than a pound of crystal meth in the glove box of a white Lexus belonging to Price, the summary said.

The summary said authorities believed Rios and Price were “the main source of supply” of crystal meth in Highland County at the time, and Rios was suspected of obtaining it in bulk, “with an estimation of several pounds per week.”

According to the summary, Price at one point told officers that the group was selling drugs in Clinton County since they had no ties to the community, then mentioned Highland County Common Pleas Judge Rocky Coss by name, saying, “You know he (expletive) hammers people for drugs.”

Baker said anonymous tips can be called in at 1-800-382-8477, or sent by email to [email protected].

The Highland County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 937-393-1421.

Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.

Zumwalde
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/11/web1_trentonzumwaldemug-1.jpgZumwalde
Detective says suspect charged with gun violations, involved in May meth bust

By David Wright

[email protected]

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