COLUMBUS, Ohio — Four people allegedly connected to a drug trafficking organization and the fatal overdose of a 13-year-old last year were indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on multiple felony charges, according to the Columbus Division of Police.
On Sept. 5, 2023, Columbus police's Organized Crime Bureau responded to the 200 block of North Warren Avenue on the city's west side on a report of a fatal overdose. When officers arrived, they found a 13-year-old who had died from an overdose of cocaine and fentanyl.
At the scene, officers observed packaged narcotics in plain view. In the search, approximately eight kilograms of narcotics were found, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Two firearms were also recovered.
In the midst of the investigation, a man was arrested on Nov. 9, 2023, while driving a semi-tractor trailer from California to Ohio. The driver, Israel Garcia, was arrested after 15 kilograms of cocaine were found in the cab of the semi. Garcia told police that he delivered 17 kilograms of cocaine to a teenage boy at the direction of Ema Loza.
On Jan. 10, 2024, Loza was arrested following a traffic stop where a felony amount of narcotics was discovered.
A few weeks later, narcotics detectives conducted a search at a home in the 80 block of Dering Avenue where nearly two kilograms of drugs were seized along with evidence of an operational drug trafficking organization.
Detectives identified the members as Loza, the teenage boy, Jose Garcia-Huerta and Lezly Avila.
The four individuals are charged with dozens of felonies, most of which also carry a "use of a firearm" or "major drug offender" specification.
Loza is charged with 27 felonies, including involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and engaging in corrupt activity.
The teenage boy is also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors are looking to move the teen's case over to adult court. If it is bound over, he will face the same charges as Loza.
Avila is charged with 14 felonies, including two counts of engaging in corrupt activity. Garcia-Huerta is charged with 20 felonies.