South Side woman charged after trying to flush heroin; housemate accused of trafficking

YOUNGSTOWN

A woman who reports said was trying to flush drugs down the toilet of a South Side home Thursday while police were serving a search warrant is in the Mahoning County jail in lieu of $35,000 bond.

Natalia Rosario, 34, was arraigned Friday in municipal court before Magistrate Anthony Sertick on charges of possession of heroin, a first-degree felony; and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

Reports said members of the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force were serving a search warrant about 11:45 a.m. at a Ravenwood Avenue house and had to break down a reinforced door to gain entrance.

Rosario was found trying to flush drugs down the toilet, reports said. Her two children, age 13 and 18, were also there, reports said.

A man who lives in the house with her, Rolando Pena-Gomez, 32, was arrested at his place of employment in Hubbard on a secret indictment on drug-trafficking charges, reports said.

He is expected to be arraigned Tuesday in common pleas court.