3 Lima men arrested in undercover drug sting

5/14/2006

LIMA, Ohio - Three Lima men were arrested Friday during an undercover operation by Lima police department's Proactive Crime Enforcement unit to find street-level drug dealers.

Robert Tobias, 40, and Eugene Cole, 66, were arrested and charged with trafficking in crack cocaine. Mr. Tobias was arrested near Baxter and West Elm Street; Mr. Cole was arrested in the Catalpa Avenue and St. Johns Avenue area.

Also arrested near Catalpa and St. Johns during the sting was Mark Spaulding, 34, who had two active child-support warrants through the Allen County Sheriff's Office.

The men were being held in the Allen County jail pending arraignment tomorrow in Lima Municipal Court.

On Thursday, three adults and a 16-year-old were arrested and charged with trafficking in crack cocaine in a similar undercover operation by the PACE unit.