Drug house to hit auction block

AMERICAN TOWNSHIP - A home seized in a 2007 drug raid will go on the auction block later this summer.

The county is working with Sargent Auctioneers to sell the home at 515 W. Bluelick Road. The sale is tentatively set for July 29 at the property.

Sgt Alan Mefford, of the Allen County Sheriff's Office, said the sale will mark the first time a seized home has been auctioned off in the county.

"We seize property frequently, cars and other merchandise. But to my knowledge, this is the first time we've sold a house." Mefford said.

The house was seized in July following a raid in which task force agents found 19 ounces of cocaine valued at $75,000, three rifles, a shotgun, five handguns and $8,600 in cash. The task force seized the $60,000 house that was paid off as well as four cars valued at $50,000.

Agents arrested the owner of the home, Fredrico Rocha, 56, who was an illegal immigrant. He posted a $25,000 bond and never showed at his next court hearing. Agents were told he fled back to Mexico.

County workers began work on the house to get it in better shape for the sale. They worked to remove mold caused by a wet basement and other issues, but eventually decided to sell it as-is, Mefford said.

"We have some expense in it from mold repair and other work, but the more we got into it, the more we realized we were not going to get our money back out if we did too much," Mefford said.

Richa paid $69,000 for it in 2002. Mefford said the county will put a $45,000 minimum bid on the sale, but hopes to get more than that. The profits will go to the West Central Ohio Drug Taskforce and will be split among the member organizations.

"We will definitely recoup our expenses in the sale and I expect we'll get a nice little chunk for the task force," Mefford said.

The investigation into the Bluelick Road home began in 2006. Investigators did not make a drug buy at the home but instead made their case using financial data, telephone records, credit cards records and community complaints.