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Four men were arrested Thursday for allegedly dealing drugs in Warsaw after a several-month investigation by the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force.
Francisco Javier Esparza, 22, of 322 Washington St., Warsaw; and Juan Jose Lazcano, 23, of 110 S. CR 325E, Pierceton; Daniel Allen Tatum, 19, Muncie; and Javier Arias Juarez, 20, of 1831 Michael St., Warsaw, were arrested for dealing cocaine, a Class A Felony.
Thursday afternoon, the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force made an undercover purchase of a large amount of cocaine from Esparza, leading to the request for a search warrant for Mi Lindo Acapulco restaurant, East Center Street.
When officers served the warrant, they arrested Lazcano, who is an employee of the restaurant, for selling cocaine. Lazcano reportedly was selling the drug while he was working.
Both Esparza and Lazcano are being held on $20,000 bond.
Lazcano and Esparza are believed to be large cocaine suppliers in the Warsaw area and have been under investigation by the drug task force for several months.
Later in the evening, the drug task force arrested Tatum and Juarez for dealing cocaine. The pair were arrested in the parking lot of a local apartment complex after undercover officers allegedly purchased cocaine from them.
Tatum is being held on $20,000 bond, and Juarez's bond was set at $10,000.
The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force was assisted in the arrests by the Warsaw Police Department, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, and the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office. The investigations are continuing and more arrests are expected.
