A 53-year-old Centralia man has been arrested by Centralia Police Wednesday on a federal arrest warrant for maintaining a drug-involved premise.
John Fodero is the occupant of a home at 611 East 7th where police say a drug bust took place in February. Police Chief Greg Dodson said at the time the search warrant was executed as part of an ongoing drug investigation after the residence was identified as a hub of drug activity and congregating point for drug users who used the residence as a flophouse to consume drugs. Police have responded to the address for over 12 opioid overdose calls and 94 calls for police service since January 2020.
After the February bust, the police department compiled all of the criminal as well as EMS calls relating to overdose reports and forwarded them to the US Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. After receiving all the reports, a Grand Jury was convened and Fodero was indicted federally for maintaining a Drug Involved Premise.
Dodson says the measures were taken to address the quality of life impact that the house was causing for all the surrounding residents in the area. After the February bust, the police department utilized its drug house ordinance to prohibit occupancy until the residence is deemed safe to occupy.
14 people not related to each other were identified as living in the single-family residence as well as in a storage shed and detached garage. Five of those at the home were arrested during the execution of the February search warrant. In addition, police say they located 30 capsules of suspected Fentanyl and a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Fodero was transported to the Marion County Jail where he will be held until being brought before a Federal Judge on the charges.
