Grandmother involved in drug ring to appear in court on Wednesday

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A woman accused of drug trafficking is expected in court on Wednesday for her first bail hearing.

Emma Loza de Leon is one of several people against whom such allegations have been made.

Others charged in the case include Jose Huerta, Lezy Avila and Jovany Avila.

The charges stem from a 2023 incident in which police were called to a home on Warren Avenue in Hilltop.

When officers arrived, they found de Leon's grandson, 13-year-old Ulises Alberto Garibay, dead from an overdose of cocaine and fentanyl.

When officers searched the house, they found a large stash of drugs, including crack cocaine, meth and fentanyl.

Then, about two months later, police found a semi-trailer loaded with 15 kilos of cocaine coming to Ohio from California.

The driver was arrested and pointed police in the direction of Jovany Avila. The driver said he delivered the drugs to Avila on de Leon's instructions.

De Leon was arrested a month later in a traffic stop, after which her home on Dering Avenue on the South Side was searched and nearly two kilos of drugs were found.

De Leon is charged with the death of her grandson while investigators try to unravel the connections between the other three suspects.