Trish Bennett, Editor
CIRCLEVILLE – One of two people wanted by the U.S. Marshal Service in connection with a heroin ring busted last month was arrested in Ashville on Monday.
Erica D. Moretti, 26, was taken into custody at a relative’s home in the village, according to Sgt. Shawn Baer, Circleville Police Department. She is currently being held in the Pickaway County Jail on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, three counts of trafficking in cocaine, three counts of trafficking in heroin and as a fugitive from justice.
The second suspect wanted by the U.S. Marshal Service is Reuben Joyner, also wanted for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, drug trafficking and as a fugitive from justice in connection with the case.
Moretti’s arrest Monday was the 69th of 72 people indicted March 20 by the Pickaway County Grand Jury on charges relating to a large drug ring operating between Columbus and Circleville, Baer said.
At a press conference March 25, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said the upper and middle management of the ring had been selling heroin in Pickaway County like a pizza delivery service, setting up shop in various homes, taking orders by phone and delivering drugs to buyers throughout the area.
A total of 17 people were included in the ranks of “upper and middle management,” with the remaining 55 charged with possession of cocaine and/or heroin.
Eleven of those 17, the “upper management,” are charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, which are state-level charges of organized crime. Joyner is the last of those 11 and has not yet been apprehended.
The other 10 are Moretti; Michael Binkley, 33, of Circleville; Jessica Dodge, 34, of Circleville; Dejon Dunning, 27, of Lancaster; Nicole Grambo, 35, of Circleville; David A. Caslin, 44, of Columbus; Anesha R. Swift, 25, of Stoutsville; Jermaine Bozeman, 31, of Columbus; Andrew Swift, 45, of Circleville; and Raeshawn Dunning, 30, of Columbus.
The “middle management,” all charged with multiple counts of trafficking, are Rodney Evans, 46, of Circleville; Elisa Leasure, 41, of Circleville; Arnold Pennington Jr., 35, of Circleville; Lindsey Pyle, 20, of Circleville; Pam Swift, 44, of Lancaster; and Betsy Vangundy, 22, of Circleville.
Pretrial hearings for the majority of the suspects were held April 17 in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
