FOSTORIA — DEA Arrests Mercedes Rodriguez, Sister of Epolito Rodriqueze And Charged in Federal Court

This arrest follows several months after the arrest of her brother, Epolito (Paul) Rodriguez during the massive drug bust in #Fostoria

Locals report seeing Mercedes at Ignite Wellness Club at 112 W Tiffin St., in Fostoria, which was rebranded from “Power Up” formerly located at 106 N. Main St. That gym was evicted by the property owner earlier this year. According to Google, Ignite Wellness is listed as closed.

[Epolito Rodriguez (also referred to as Ipolito or Paul Rodriguez in some reports), 33, owner of Power Up gym (106 N. Main St., Fostoria, Ohio), faces federal drug trafficking charges in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio (Western Division, Toledo). 

• Arrest and Initial Charges: Rodriguez was arrested on or around February 25, 2026 (some reports note booking/appearance details around Feb. 25–27). A criminal complaint charged him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine under 21

… § ()(). 

• Investigation Details: Led by the DEA and Ohio State Highway Patrol. It began in late 2025 after tips about bulk cocaine sales allegedly using the gym as a base/front.

Electronic surveillance observed Rodriguez’s vehicle near a semi-truck (California plates) in a Findlay, Ohio, lot. A traffic stop of the semi near Columbus yielded ~$665,480 in cash hidden in the sleeper berth.

Search warrants executed Feb. 19, 2026, at the gym and his residence uncovered ~40–42 kg (roughly 88–92+ lbs) of suspected cocaine (including kilo bricks in duffel bags in the gym basement), plus additional cash (~$13k at the gym and ~$139k at the residence), for totals exceeding $800k seized. 

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• Case number: 3:26-cr-00098 (N.D. Ohio).

• Initial appearance/arraignment-related proceedings in late February/early March 2026 before Magistrate Judge Darrell A. Clay.

• Rodriguez waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over to a federal grand jury. He also waived a detention hearing (without prejudice) and was ordered detained.

• Indictment filed around early March 2026 (one or more counts tied to the cocaine possession/distribution).

• Arraignment: March 9, 2026 — he entered a not guilty plea.

• Represented by Federal Public Defender Claire R. Cahoon (Toledo office).

• The case remains pending in pretrial status.

: Power Up Fostoria announced it would close shortly after the arrest (around early March 2026), with the reopening at a new location under a new name.

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Rodriguez was initially booked into the Lucas County Corrections Center/Jail (Toledo) following his arrest and remained in custody there as of early-to-mid March 2026 reports.

As a federal pretrial detainee (not yet convicted/sentenced), he is likely still held in local federal detention (Lucas County or a contracted facility) rather than a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) institution. No current BOP inmate locator record matches in public searches, which aligns with pretrial status.

He has been consistently reported as detained with no indications of release on bond. 

#Fostroia #FostoriaOhio #PowerUpFostoria]