Edgerton man arrested during meth bust Wednesday, possessing 'substantial' amount

EDGERTON — Local law enforcement officers conducted a search warrant here Wednesday, arresting one man and seizing a substantial amount of methamphetamine along with a vehicle and other items.

Peter Moses, 47, was charged initially with possession of methamphetamine, a first-degree felony due to the amount.

However, additional charges are likely, according to Steven Mueller, commander of the Defiance-based Multi-Area Narcotics (MAN) Unit. These will be presented to the Williams County Prosecutor's Office.

Moses was scheduled to have an initial appearance this week in Bryan Municipal Court.

According to Mueller, officers from the Edgerton Police Department, Williams County Sheriff's Office and the MAN Unit — composed of law enforcement from several surrounding jurisdictions — carried out a search warrant at Moses' 128 W. Lynn St. residence Wednesday.

Authorities seized 26 1/2 ounces of methamphetamine and about two ounces of cocaine, according to Mueller. The meth amount was well over the threshold that makes it a first-degree felony, he noted.

Officers also took away drug trade items such as plastic bags and scales, said Mueller.

Moses was renting the home, which could have been subject to forfeiture had he been the owner. However, Moses' 2005 Cadillac seized in the investigation is subject to forfeiture.

"Certainly we will be looking at additional charges for trafficking," said Mueller. "This was a months-long investigation into narcotics trafficking by this subject."

Moses was taken to the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio following his arrest Wednesday.

Mueller said Moses has been on law enforcement officers "radar for awhile," although "Defiance County has not had any interaction with him to speak of."

According to public records, Moses has three low-level felony drug trafficking convictions in Williams County Common Pleas Court (in 1996, 1998 and 2008) for selling either cocaine or marijuana — all of which resulted in jail or prison time — and at least one other conviction in Steuben County, Indiana in 2003 for possession of methamphetamine.