Middletown man arrested in alleged ‘drug ring’ bust in jail waiting for U.S. Marshals

The man arrested after a six-month investigation by numerous agencies, including Middletown police, is being held in the Butler County Jail waiting for U.S. Marshals, according to jail records.

Benwan Alvin Edwards, 25, was arrested Monday morning, then booked into the county jail later that afternoon, according to jail records. It’s unclear what charges Edwards faces. He has no bond.

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Edwards was the only person arrested during the raids, but Middletown Police Chief Rodney Muterspaw said more arrests are forthcoming.

Since 2012, Edwards has been charged 61 times in Middletown, according to court records reviewed by this news agency. He was charged seven times last year, including with participating in a criminal gang, felonious assault, assault and having weapons under disability, according to court records.

He was charged 18 times in 2012, four times in 2013, nine times in 2014, twice in 2015, 12 times in 2016, and nine times in 2017.

Police said guns, drugs and 20 vehicles used to traffic drugs were seized when agencies participated in serving federal search warrants Monday morning at: 826 16th Ave., Middletown; 6930 Mt. Vernon, Apt. 9, Middletown; 6880 Brandywine, Apt. 12, Middletown; 806 17th Ave., Middletown; 2703 Roosevelt Blvd., Middletown; 1901 Circle Kelly Jo, Middletown; 300 S. Sutphin St., Middletown; 925 Cleverly Road, Dayton; and 9167 Country Pond Trail, Miamisburg.

Muterspaw said the “drug ring” is believed to have a direct or indirect connection to the homicides of Teresa Shields, Benny Barefield, Kapriece Fuller and others.

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