Lorain police seize more than 40 grams of narcotics after traffic stop, man arrested

Lorain police apprehended a 24-year-old Lorain man who they say possessed more than 40 grams of narcotics as well as other contraband on New Year’s Eve.

Benjamin William Decost, of the 3000 block of Eastlawn Street, was charged with two counts trafficking in drugs, two counts possession of a controlled substance, two counts of probation violation, three counts driving under suspension, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to display lighted lights, according to a Lorain police report.

At 7 p.m., Dec. 31, Lorain police officers were patrolling the area of Meister Road and Washington Avenue when they noticed a Nissan Altima traveling west on Meister Road with only one working headlight, the report stated.

Officers noted the same vehicle was involved in a pursuit Dec. 30 traveling well over 100 mph, the report stated.

Decost was parked at a fuel pump in the parking lot of the Valero Gas station, located at Meister Road and Oberlin Avenue, when officers approached him.

Officers noted that Decost’s left arm was pinned toward his body and left hand in his coat pocket.

They ordered Decost to remove his hand from his pocket, but he refused to make eye contact with an officer and did not remove his hand, the report stated.

“I knew Decost to have a violent criminal history and knew him to carry firearms,” an officer wrote. “It was reasonable in this instance that based on his behavior, history and being involved with this vehicle, he was possibly armed and dangerous.”

An officer then drew his stun gun and pointed it at Decost’s chest while another officer was able to remove Decost’s hand from his pocket and arrest him.

As Decost’s hand was removed from the pocket, a “small piece of plastic bag” was revealed in the same pocket, the report stated.

While searching Decost and the vehicle, officers seized 26.4 grams of cocaine; 17.7 grams of fentanyl and more than 35 pills, some of which contained oxycodone hydrochloride, the report stated.

Additionally, officers seized more than $1,600 in cash, a digital scale and cellphone, the report noted.

When asked if he knew anything about the vehicle he was driving being involved in a police pursuit the night before, Decost denied any knowledge of the incident.

He told officers he’d picked up the vehicle in Elyria about 30 minutes prior to the stop, the report stated.

Decost is in the Lorain County Jail on a $150,000 bond, according to jail records.

He is scheduled to appear Jan. 9 in Lorain Municipal Court.