BORDERLAND

Drug charges levied on fire suspect, son

3/7/2014

An Oregon man charged with setting a fire that killed two Toledo firefighters was indicted Thursday along with his son on unrelated synthetic-drug charges.

Ray Abou-Arab, 61, of 1311 Sierra Dr., was indicted by a Lucas County grand jury on two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance. Omar Abou-Arab, 34, of 3552 Lynnbrooke Lane, Oregon, was indicted on two counts of complicity in the commission of trafficking in a controlled substance.

Jeff Lingo, chief of the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office criminal division, said the father and son had been under investigation for selling synthetic narcotics prior to the Jan. 26 fire at a Magnolia Street apartment building owned by Ray Abou-Arab that investigators believe was intentionally set.

The new indictment alleges that on May 3 and May 15, a customer came into the Fassett Mini Mart seeking XLR-11 — a synthetic marijuana product sold under names like Mad Monkey. According to Mr. Lingo, the customer was directed by Omar Abou-Arab to a cellular-phone store around the corner in the same building, where he said Ray Abou-Arab sold the illegal substance.