News
Oxycodone Trafficking Organization Dismantled
By: Cotrell Loftin
Posted on:
A Southeast Ohio sheriff says his officers arrested nine people involved in a drug crime ring responsible for selling thousands of oxycodone pills in the county.
Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini says the arrests were the result of a six to nine month investigation by the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force.
Donini says this problem is not uncommon.
"Right now, to date, we've made nine arrests and we obviously have a few more people that we need to pick up that we're not releasing the identification of yet. But if you really look at each and every drug case it probably wouldn't be abnormal to find organizations throughout a community of this size and I'm sure we have many more out there," says Donini.
On March 30, task force detectives executed a narcotics-related search warrant at the Tripp Street residence of William Stuckey and Rebecca Fargo in South Webster.
Donini says investigators seized more than 3,000 oxycodone pills valued at more than $100,000, several firearms, cash and items suspected of being bought with trafficking proceeds.
Stuckey, Fargo, and several other individuals, including Lydia Yeagle, Rebecca J. Howard, Angel Sadler, Brian D. Carter, Shannon Deems, Heather J. Smith, and Christopher W. Mason, were arrested after a warrant was served on June 5.
All but Carter are currently being held in the Scioto County Jail.
Stuckey is being held on a $750,000 bond, Fargo and Yeagle on $250,000, and the rest on $100,000 bond each.
Carter was released on posting bond.
Charges against the group include:
– engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity
– conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity
– aggravated trafficking in oxycodone within the vicinity of a juvenile
– aggravated possession of oxycodone
– attempted trafficking in oxycodone within the vicinity of a juvenile
– conspiracy to engage in drug trafficking
– trafficking in oxycodone
Sheriff Marty Donini credits the success of the ongoing investigation so far to the sheriff's office narcotics unit detectives, the Portsmouth Police Department narcotics unit, the FBI, and the Scioto County prosecutor's office.
Oxycodone isn't the only drug circulating Scioto County, says Donini.
"Right now, it seems to be oxycodone and oxycontin that seem to be the primary drugs. Now that most of the pain clinics have been closed, we're still seeing the oxycodone but we're also seeing a rise in heroine," says Donini. "With oxycodone you can get that by prescription where you can't the heroine; the pills you can and that's still a problem."
Anyone wishing to leave drug information for the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force should contact the Sheriff's Office drug line at (740) 351-1094, the Portsmouth Police Department drug line at (740) 354-DRUG (3784), or email drugs@sciotocountysheriff.com.
All information will kept confidential and anonymous.