A Tipp City man wanted in Miami County for nearly a year on charges accusing him of being involved in a drug ring investigators said brought large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine into the Miami Valley is now back in Ohio and in jail
Hugo Avendano, 32, was returned to the Miami County Jail on Thursday from Pasco County, Florida, where he was arrested July 15.
Florida deputies, checking his identification, discovered warrants from Miami County on multiple drug trafficking charges.
Avendano declined to waive extradition to Ohio, so the sheriff's office worked with county prosecutors to secure a governor's warrant for the extradition, Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said Friday.
Avendano's arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in county Common Pleas Court.
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Duchak said Avendano – one of four people still being sought in the drug investigation – was arrested after calling the Florida sheriff’s office to report $10,000 cash had been stolen from his vehicle.
A Miami County grand jury indicted Avendano in August 2016, along with seven others. He faces multiple charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, drug trafficking and money laundering.
Those arrested in the case last year have pleaded to charges in deals with prosecutors this year and have been sentenced.
Local detectives and the U.S. Marshal’s Service are working to locate the remaining suspects, Duchak said.
They are: Dora Avendano, 37, formerly of Tipp City; Ricardo Mondragon, 26, formerly of Dayton; and Jose Galvin, 32, formerly of New Carlisle.
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