News
Alleged Drug Ring Leader In Athens, Separated In Jail
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
Posted on:
The alleged supplier of the Glouster drug ring has been transported to Athens to await his arraignment on Monday, where he is expected to receive a higher bond than his co-defendants.
Brandon Jorge Allen, of Detroit, was transported by deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office from Georgia and arrived at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail at 12:03 a.m. on Wednesday.
“We’ve had incredible cooperation from law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels, and not just in Ohio,” said Interim Sheriff Rodney Smith in a news release sent by the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office. “And I’m thankful for the efforts of the dedicated officers of the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, two of whom left at 2 a.m. to travel to Atlanta…”
Since he arrived at the jail, Allen has been separated from the rest of the inmates at the request of the prosecutor’s office, according to Warden Jeremy Tolson. He has the same privileges as any other inmate, however.
“It’s for his safety and the safety of the other individuals in the jail,” Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn said. He also said that Allen was kept separate because multiple inmates in the jail are co-defendants of Allen.
Allen was arrested July 25 at an Atlanta airport allegedly attempting to flee the country. He is accused of having “leadership in the drug ring that has been supplying Athens County,” according to previous Messenger reporting.
He was indicted the same day in Athens County Common Pleas Court on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, 10 counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs and one count of aggravated possession of drugs.
He is accused of supplying drugs to a ring that allegedly included Derek Gyure, John Casey Metcalf, Bert C. Sharrer, Bert Sharrer, Jr., and Kendra Sharrer. Gyure has been named as the local leader of the group, according to prosecutors.
According to Blackburn, Allen did not fight extradition out of Georgia.
Blackburn would not comment on what specific recommendations for bond would be, but said it would likely be more than the other alleged players in the ring.
Gyure is the only one of the so-called main players of the group who has not pleaded guilty to charges related to the drug ring. Metcalf received an eight-year sentence after an agreement was reached with the prosecution, Bert C. Sharrer received a 10-year sentence, Kendra Sharrer was sentenced to three years in prison and Bert Sharrer, Jr., is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 25. All of those who have been sentenced have agreed to testify truthfully in matters regarding the case.