KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Already facing possible trial for the death of his ex-girlfriend, a Kalamazoo man will now be going to court for federal drug charges.
The separate charges were brought against 33-year-old Anthony Ozomaro after police found methamphetamine at his home while investigating the murder of his ex-girlfriend Nikkole Riojas.
Following a comptetency ruling by a federal magistrate on Thursday, February 20th, Ozomaro will now stand trial in U.S. District Court on charges of possession with intent to distribute the drug.
Police began their investigation of the defendent after 35-year-old Riojas was found dead from a gunshot wound to her head on the morning of March 8th, 2019 at her home on Charles Street. She and Ozomaro has been together for five years and had two children, but police reports show the relationship was marked by multiple incidents of abusive behavior toward her.
Ozomaro became a suspect in the case right after police responded to Riojas’s death, locating him before he fled in his vehicle. Crashing his car after being pursued by police, a two hour standoff ensued at a vacant house on the 900 block of North Street before he was taken into custody.
The suspect faces one count of open murder, as well as a felony firearms charge in connection to Riojas’s death. A competency hearing for the murder case will take place on March 10th, deciding whether he is fit to stand trial on the charges in Kalamazoo County District Court.
Two days after his arrest police executed a search warrant and located 251 grams of crystal methamphetamine at his home on Florence Street in Kalamazoo, with federal prosecutors later issuing drug charges against Ozomaro.
Based off of a competency evaluation issued on January 22nd, a federal judge made the order that Ozomaro would be competent to stand trial on the drug charges.
His next court hearing on the federal drug offense will take place in Grand Rapids on March 12th, before U.S. District Judge Janet Neff.
