News
Vinton County Makes Arrests Related to Bath Salts, Methamphetamine
< < Back toBath salts and methamphetamine led to unrelated arrests in Vinton County.
Andrew L. Barstow, 24, of Albany; and Robert Sheppard, 34, of Athens, were arrested on March 13 at a residence on Zimmerman Road where deputies from the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office allegedly found evidence of a meth lab outside.
After searching the residence and allegedly finding more evidence of meth manufacturing, deputies arrested Barstow on charges of manufacturing meth and possession of materials used in the making of meth, according to a news release by the sheriff’s office.
Sheppard was at the same residence and was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were taken to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and the case was referred to the Vinton County Prosecuting Attorney. Other individuals could be charged in the case, the release stated.
In a second case reported by the sheriff’s office, a Vinton man was arrested after an investigation into alleged trafficking of Alpha-PVP, also know as bath salts, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lester P. Hedrick, 44, was arrested on March 13 on one count of trafficking, following an investigation by the sheriff’s office stemming from an unidentified package.
“Information was received from (The U.S. Department of ) Homeland Security that the package had been found by Border Patrol and Customs,” the release stated. “A covert operation was conducted…which led to the arrest of Hedrick.”
A search warrant was executed on Hedrick’s residence. The investigation is ongoing, but has been forwarded to the prosecuting attorney.
Hedrick was transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.