43
10 arrested in drug bust at Niles motel
Staff report
NILES
Ten people arrested in connection with a raid on a suspected meth lab inside a Niles motel room Friday are scheduled for appearances in Niles Municipal Court on Monday.
Members of the Trumbull-Ashtabula Group Task Force (TAG) say they found a significant amount of meth in a room at The Cottage Inn, 5318 Youngstown-Warren Road, according to The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, 21 WFMJ-TV.
The task force is a multi-county agency formed by the sheriffs in Trumbull and Ashtabula counties.
According to deputies, they arrested Larry Moran of Niles in the room in which he had been staying at the motel. The room was not rented in Moran’s name, but officers believe he was the primary occupant.
Four other individuals in Moran’s room were arrested on suspicion of assisting in the manufacturing of meth. One suspect tried to flee through the bathroom window but was apprehended.
Moran, 41, is charged with manufacturing meth, possession of chemicals to manufacture meth and drug trafficking drug possession.
Others arrested and their charges are:
Marshall Emerine, 35, of Windham, possession of drug paraphernalia and chemicals to produce meth.
Justin Paul, 30, and Desaray Harris, 18, of Ravenna and Warren, respectively, possession of chemicals to manufacture meth and outstanding warrants.
Donald Brown, 40, of Warren; Crissy Wortman, 33, of Warren; and Dawn Pyatt, 29, of Niles, possession of chemicals to manufacture drugs.
Troy Dodrill, 29, of Warren, possession of meth and chemicals to manufacture the drug.
William Harris, 39, and Jessica Smerdell, 34, of Warren and Niles, respectively, outstanding warrants.
Deputies say they believe several of the individuals were being paid to buy cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine to assist in the manufacturing of meth; and say it is likely many of the suspects used the money to fund their own heroin addictions.
Authorities say the suspects appear to have been moving from hotel to hotel while making and selling the drug.