A federal drug investigation has brought serious charges against the owner of a gym in Fostoria, Ohio, after authorities reported seizing large quantities of cocaine and significant amounts of cash during a series of searches. Epolito Rodriguez, 33, who owns the Power Up gym located at 106 North Main Street in Fostoria, now faces a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Investigators say the case involves dozens of kilograms of narcotics and hundreds of thousands of dollars in suspected drug-related proceeds, making it one of the most notable federal criminal cases to emerge from the small Seneca County community in recent years. The investigation was led by federal and state authorities, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and involved surveillance operations, traffic stops, and search warrants carried out across multiple locations.
Federal Investigation Into Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation
According to a criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, investigators began examining Rodriguez’s activities in late 2025. Authorities reported receiving information suggesting that Epolito Rodriguez was involved in distributing bulk quantities of cocaine. Investigators alleged that the gym he owned, Power Up in downtown Fostoria, may have been used in connection with the suspected drug trafficking activity.
Law enforcement officials initiated surveillance as part of their investigation, monitoring Rodriguez’s movements and activities in the months leading up to his arrest. The investigation gained momentum in mid-February when authorities conducted electronic surveillance that placed Rodriguez’s vehicle in a gravel lot near a Walmart store in Findlay, Ohio. During the same surveillance operation, investigators also observed a semi-tractor trailer with California license plates in the vicinity.
Authorities later stopped the semi-truck near Columbus on February 16. During a search of the vehicle’s sleeper compartment, investigators said they discovered a large quantity of cash hidden beneath a mattress. According to the affidavit filed by a DEA task force officer, the money was packaged in duct-taped bundles and totaled approximately $665,480 in U.S. currency. Investigators believed the packaging and concealment method indicated the money could be connected to a drug trafficking operation.
Following the discovery of the cash, federal authorities continued building their case and sought court approval for further investigative actions. On February 18, a federal magistrate judge authorized search warrants for Epolito Rodriguez’s business location in Fostoria and for his residence. The warrants allowed investigators to conduct detailed searches of both locations as part of the ongoing federal drug investigation.
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Epolito Rodriguez was arrested on February 25 and booked into the Lucas County Jail. The federal charge filed against him alleges possession with intent to distribute cocaine under federal law. This charge is often used in cases where authorities believe the quantity of drugs involved indicates distribution rather than personal use.
Searches Reveal Large Cocaine Seizure and Cash
When federal agents and investigators executed the search warrants on February 19, they reported discovering significant quantities of suspected cocaine inside the Power Up gym building. According to the affidavit filed in court, investigators found two large black duffel bags in the basement of the gym containing multiple kilogram-sized bricks of a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine.
Authorities said the bricks were field-tested at the scene, and the results indicated the substance was cocaine. In total, investigators reported seizing approximately 40 kilograms of suspected cocaine from the duffel bags. Such a quantity represents a large-scale drug seizure and is consistent with bulk trafficking operations rather than small-scale distribution.
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Investigators also reported locating additional suspected cocaine elsewhere inside the business. According to the affidavit, approximately two more kilograms of suspected cocaine were discovered in other parts of the gym facility. Along with the narcotics, agents said they found equipment and items commonly associated with drug distribution, including a small scale that could be used for measuring narcotics.
Cash was also recovered during the search of the business. Authorities reported finding approximately $13,000 in U.S. currency inside the building. Part of the cash, about $10,000, was allegedly hidden in a shoebox concealed within the ceiling of the office area of the gym. The investigation did not stop with the search of the business location. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence in Fostoria. During that search, investigators reported seizing $139,100 in cash from the home.
Authorities said some of the cash was packaged in vacuum-sealed bags, with two of the packages labeled “40k” in black marker. According to investigators, the packaging of these bundles was similar to the duct-taped packages of cash found earlier inside the semi-truck that had been stopped near Columbus. Officials suggested the similarity in packaging could indicate a connection between the money seized from the truck and the cash recovered at Rodriguez’s residence.
The scale of the seizure, both in terms of narcotics and cash, is notable. Forty kilograms of cocaine represents a large amount of the drug, often associated with regional or interstate trafficking networks. Authorities have not publicly detailed whether additional suspects are involved, but the discovery of such quantities typically prompts investigators to examine potential connections beyond the immediate suspect.
Court Proceedings and Community Reaction
Rodriguez now faces a federal charge under Title 21 of the United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), which prohibits possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute them. The charge carries significant potential penalties under federal law, particularly when large quantities of cocaine are involved. Following his arrest on February 25, Rodriguez was taken into custody and remains detained as the case proceeds through the federal court system.
According to court filings, he waived his preliminary hearing, meaning the case has been forwarded to a federal grand jury for further review. A grand jury will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to issue a formal indictment. Rodriguez was indicted on Wednesday, and his arraignment has been scheduled for March 9. During an arraignment, a defendant is formally presented with the charges and given the opportunity to enter a plea. As of the time the complaint was filed, no plea had been entered in the case.
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Because the charges were filed in federal court, the case is being handled in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. Rodriguez has been appointed a federal public defender to represent him in the proceedings. Federal criminal cases involving large drug seizures often involve extensive evidence, including surveillance records, search warrant documentation, forensic testing of seized substances, and financial evidence. As the case moves forward, prosecutors and defense attorneys will likely review these materials as part of the legal process.
News of the investigation and arrest has drawn attention in Fostoria, a small city in Seneca County. Residents expressed surprise at the scale of the alleged operation described in court documents. Local resident Randy Bray said the allegations were shocking, particularly because of the proximity of the gym to residential neighborhoods. He noted that the business was located just a few blocks from his home and that he had never suspected that such a large federal case could be connected to a business on the town’s main street.
Bray said the situation left him uncertain about how to react, emphasizing that the legal process must determine Rodriguez’s guilt or innocence. His comments reflected a mixture of disbelief and caution, as community members process the allegations while recognizing that the case remains pending in federal court.
For many residents, the most surprising aspect of the case is the scale of the quantities described by investigators. Bray noted that it was difficult to imagine such a large drug trafficking case occurring in a town the size of Fostoria. Businesses along Main Street are typically associated with everyday commercial activity, making the allegations stand out sharply against the town’s usual image.
Authorities have not released additional details about whether the investigation is ongoing or whether more arrests could occur. Federal drug trafficking cases sometimes expand as investigators analyze evidence and examine connections between suspects, transportation routes, and financial transactions. At this stage, the case remains in its early phases within the federal judicial system. The indictment, arraignment, and potential pretrial motions will determine how the case proceeds toward trial or other legal resolutions.
Prosecutors will be required to prove the allegations in court, while the defense will have the opportunity to challenge the evidence presented. Until those proceedings unfold, Rodriguez remains in custody, and the federal charge against him stands as the central focus of the case. Federal authorities have emphasized that the allegations contained in the complaint represent claims made during the investigation, and the legal process will determine the final outcome.
The developments have placed a spotlight on the small Ohio community, where residents are closely following the case as it moves through the federal court system. Further hearings and court filings are expected in the coming weeks as the legal proceedings continue.