Campbell police arrest 4 on drug charges

Staff report

CAMPBELL

Four men face arraignment Friday in Campbell Municipal Court on drug charges after their arrest Tuesday.

Police stopped a car traveling on Wilson Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. for having objects hanging from the rear-view mirror and blocking the driver’s view.

When police stopped the car, they noticed the driver and passengers making movements such as putting their hands in and out of their pockets, according to a police report.

The driver, identified as 24-year-old Jorge Lortiz, no address given, indicated to police he did not speak English but provided his name, which did not match up with any records. Police cited Lortiz for failure to display his driver’s license and searched him, finding $1,335.

The officers then ordered the passengers to get out of the car. The first passenger, identified as 42-year-old Alexander Torres of Kendall Avenue in Campbell, turned to face the car and placed his hands up as if to be searched, though police did not order him to do so, according to the report.

Police did, however, notice a small plastic bag containing suspected heroin sticking out from between Torres’ index and middle fingers, according to the report. They placed Torres under arrest on a charge of drug possession.

From another passenger, identified as Juan Ortiz, 23, no address given, police recovered $147. They also found $2,124 on the final passenger, identified as 28-year-old Emilio Luis Silva Del Valle of South Jackson Street, Youngstown.

Ortiz then admitted to police he had drugs on him. Police said he had 38 individual bags of suspected heroin.

All four are charged with trafficking in heroin — a second-degree felony — and with possession of drug paraphernalia.

All were placed in Mahoning County jail without bond pending their arraignments Friday, police said.