9 charged with heroin sales in Mah-Tmb-Ashtabula

A Trumbull-Ashtabula task force made eight arrests on charges of trafficking in or possessing heroin.

STAFF REPORT

NILES — Two regional drug task forces made arrests Thursday after lengthy investigations — one of them involving a Warren man arrested in Niles, and the other one involving eight arrests in Ashtabula on charges of dealing heroin to customers in Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning counties.

The Mahoning County Drug Task Force arrested Stefan Z. Dorsey, 24, of Lener Avenue Southwest, in Niles on Thursday after a six-month investigation, said Robin Lees, commander of the task force.

Dorsey entered no plea Friday in Niles Municipal Court to the third-degree felony of possession of a controlled substance. He was released after posting $5,000 bond. He is due to return to court at 9:45 a.m. Feb. 9.

Meanwhile, Jeff Orr, commander of the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force, said the Ashtabula arrests may help stem the tide of heroin trafficking that has hit Ashtabula County.

The arrests culminate an eight-month investigation.

TAG received assistance from the Ashtabula County sheriff’s office; Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation; and Ohio Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in raiding four of seven locations simultaneously at 8 a.m. Thursday.

The three other locations were raided later in the morning.

All the eight people arrested faced at least one felony charge, with one facing as many as five felonies.

There has been an increase in heroin use in Ashtabula County in recent months, similar to the methamphetamine problem in Ashtabula County in past years, Orr said.

The eight were set to be arraigned Friday afternoon in Ashtabula Municipal Court. All eight have Ashtabula addresses, Orr said.

Orr said heroin typically comes into Ashtabula County from New York City or Detroit.