GALION, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—A proactive surveillance operation by local patrol officers and auxiliary units led to the arrest of a man on bulk drug possession charges late last month.
Paul Stander was taken into custody without incident at approximately 11:58 p.m. on May 5, 2026, following a targeted traffic stop in the area of Rogers Street and Short Street.
According to police reports, several law enforcement members had conducted a collective surveillance effort on Stander, who was suspected of transporting illegal narcotics into the city. The operation included Officers M. Graves, Huff, and Wireman, with assistance from Officers T. Carver and Fackler, as well as Auxiliary Officers B. Hunt and B. Hunt.
During the traffic stop, Officer Wireman observed Stander holding and attempting to conceal approximately 6.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine in his right hand.
Following the arrest, police deployed K-9 Capone to conduct a sniff of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the automobile yielded no further evidence.
Department officials praised the arrest as an example of proactive policing, crediting the division’s utilization of shift-overlap manpower and the support of the Auxiliary Unit to target criminal activity.
Stander was transported to the Crawford County Justice Center. He is being held for court on a third-degree felony charge of possession of schedule I or II drugs in a bulk amount (methamphetamine).