Author: FFP Ai Bot

FREMONT, Ohio — Drug agents and police recovered suspected cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine, four firearms, a “Glock switch” and cash while executing two residential search warrants in Fremont on Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to a press release from the Sandusky County Drug Task Force.

The task force said it worked with the Fremont Police Department, the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office, the Ottawa County Major Crimes Unit, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration on the warrants, which it described as “part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal drug activity.”

What agents found at each address

1217 Croghan St.: Agents recovered an unknown white powder, U.S. currency and a firearm, according to the release. The occupant, Howard Chapman, was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Erie County. The release does not say what that warrant was for.

500 Bidwell: Agents recovered suspected cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine, along with three firearms, a Glock switch and U.S. currency, the task force said. The release does not name anyone in connection with that address.

The task force did not release the amounts of drugs or money seized. The white powder found on Croghan Street had not been identified at the time of the release.

Cases headed to prosecutors

The task force said the cases will be presented to the Sandusky County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for grand jury consideration. No charges have been announced from the search warrants. Chapman’s arrest was on the existing Erie County warrant, and the release does not say he has been charged in connection with these cases.

Anyone arrested or charged is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

What is a “Glock switch”?

A “Glock switch,” also called an auto sear or machine gun conversion device, is a small part that attaches to a semi-automatic pistol and makes it fire fully automatically — continuing to shoot as long as the trigger is held, until the magazine is empty. Despite the nickname, the devices are not made or sold by the Glock company.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says a conversion device on its own is legally considered a machine gun under federal law and cannot be possessed, even without a gun attached. ATF has warned that the devices are often marketed online under misleading names with false claims that they are legal. Possession can carry up to 10 years in federal prison, according to ATF. More information is available from ATF’s public warning on machine gun conversion devices.

Police credit community tips

The Fremont Ohio Police Department shared the release on Facebook, crediting cooperation between agencies and the public.

“We cannot do this work alone, often times major investigations like this start with tips from community members,” the department wrote. “Thank you for your support Fremont!”

The task force said it “remains committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners and the community to improve public safety and combat drug related crime.”

The Sandusky County Drug Task Force is led by Commander Dean A. Bliss, who signed the release, and is administered by Sandusky County Prosecutor Beth Tischler, according to the agency’s letterhead. It serves Bellevue, Clyde, Fremont, Gibsonburg, Green Springs and Woodville, with board members drawn from those departments, the sheriff’s office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. More about the program is on the Sandusky County Prosecutor’s Office website.

How to report drug activity

Anyone with information about suspected drug activity can contact the Sandusky County Drug Task Force at 419-334-5918. “Information provided by members of the community can assist investigators in identifying and addressing illegal drug activity,” the release said.

In an emergency, call 911. The Fremont Police Department’s non-emergency line is 419-332-6464.

This story is based on a press release from the Sandusky County Drug Task Force, shared by the Fremont Ohio Police Department.

Sources

• Sandusky County Drug Task Force press release (Oct. 2026), via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Sandusky-County-Drug-Task-Force-100079768009176/
• Fremont Ohio Police Department, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FremontOhioPD/
• ATF, machine gun conversion device warning: https://www.atf.gov/news/press-releases/us-attorney-and-atf-release-new-public-service-announcement-warning-against-possession
• Sandusky County Prosecutor’s Office, Drug Task Force: https://sanduskycoprosecutor.gov/programs/drug-task-force/
• City of Fremont Police Department: https://www.fremontohio.org/departments/police/