Case status updated for 55 connected to large local drug ring

Attorney General Mike DeWine is pictured here at a press conference in March at which he announced the indictment of 72 people involved in a large drug operation between Columbus and Circleville. (File photo)

CIRCLEVILLE – When 72 people were indicted in March in connection with a large drug operation between Columbus and Circleville, 17 of those were considered upper and middle management of the ring.

The status of the cases for those 17 suspects was updated in a story last week that can be found here.

The remaining 55 were considered the “users” of the product, each charged with possession of heroin and/or cocaine.

Of these suspects, five already have been sentenced for their participation in the drug operation. An additional 10 have pleaded guilty to their charges and are awaiting sentencing following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

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At least 12 of the suspects to date have filed motions for treatment in lieu of conviction.

A motion of dismissal has been filed in five of the cases, but they were done “without prejudice,” meaning the same or amended charges could be brought against those suspects at a later date.

The current status of the cases against the 55 suspects charged with possession of heroin and/or cocaine are as follows:

1. Mary Barton, 22, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for June 29.

2. Julia Boyer, 45, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

3. Terri N. Byrd, 24, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 9.

4. Donald E. Cassady, 44, of Orient, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 13.

5. Mallory L. Cordell, 20, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both counts on May 27 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. She will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

6. Elyse D. Craig, 25, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both counts on May 27 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. She will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

7. Joshua T. Cross, 33, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. He pleaded guilty to both counts on May 27 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. He will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

8. Roger C. Derr, 40, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. He pleaded guilty to both counts on May 27 and was sentenced to 14 months in state prison at Orient and a six-month driver’s license suspension.

9. Gwen A. Draise, 37, of Stoutsville, two counts of possession of cocaine. She pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced to 11 months in state prison (suspended) and a six-month driver’s license suspension. She also must serve three years of community control and complete a community-based correctional facility program.

10. Sherri A. Evans, 45, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. An entry of dismissal without prejudice was filed May 20.

11. Michael S. Eversole, 27, of Circleville, one count possession of heroin and one count possession of cocaine. A hearing on a motion for intervention in lieu of conviction is set for June 23.

12. Dustin A. Fausnaugh, 25, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. An entry of dismissal without prejudice was filed June 10.

13. Daniel K. Ferry, 54, of Williamsport, two counts of possession of heroin. An entry of dismissal without prejudice was filed May 27.

14. Amy K. Frazier, 36, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both counts on May 20 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. She will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

15. Carey “Rocky” Gilpen Jr., 43, of Columbus, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

16. Carey Gilpen III, 23, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. He pleaded guilty to both counts May 27 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. He will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

17. Harold D. Hamilton, 60, of Clarksburg, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

18. Kenneth Hardman, 40, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. An entry of dismissal without prejudice was filed May 27.

19. Rhonda Hardman, 42, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 9.

20. John F. Hill, 49, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. An entry of dismissal without prejudice was filed June 10.

21. Thomas B. Hunt, 47, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for June 29.

22. Christina A. Jenkins, 34, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for June 29.

23. Jason H. Johnson, 36, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

24. Tyler A. Johnson, 23, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. He pleaded guilty to both counts May 27 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. He will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

25. Travis R. Kellough, 25, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. He pleaded guilty to both charges May 6 and was sentenced to 14 months in state prison at Orient and a six-month driver’s license suspension.

26. Brian M. Kitchen, 23, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for Aug. 20.

27. Jason P. Lambert, 41, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

28. Malaine Lambiase, 26, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. She pleaded guilty to both charges plus a violation of terms of intervention on April 16. She was sentenced to 18 months in state prison at Marysville and a six-month driver’s license suspension.

29. Nicole L. Leasure, 39, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 16.

30. Bobby L. Lowry, 39, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 16.

31. Cody S. McKibben, 24, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 13.

32. Rusti N. Neff, 28, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 16.

33. Timothy Neff Jr., 35, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A pretrial hearing was held June 12. The current status of his case could not yet be confirmed.

34. Bryan T. Parmer, 34, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. Parmer also currently faces two unrelated counts of grand theft in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court. At a plea hearing June 17, Parmer pleaded guilty to one count of possession of heroin and one count of grand theft. He will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

35. Michelle R. Parmer, 34, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A motion hearing for intervention in lieu of conviction is set for June 23.

36. Jaime D. Pennington, 38, of South Bloomfield, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for June 22.

37. Carre L. Perkins, 49, of Laurelville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for June 29.

38. Kendra A. Queen, 25, of South Bloomfield, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for June 29.

39. Jessica R. Quito, 31, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. She pleaded guilty to both charges June 3 and filed a motion for intervention in lieu of conviction. She will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

40. Philip A. Reichelderfer, 32, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 23.

41. Carla J. Riffle, 42, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for June 29.

42. Doris Riffle, 81, of Circleville, one count of permitting drug abuse. A jury trial is set for June 29.

43. Renee S. Rittenhouse, 32, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. She pleaded guilty to both on June 11 and has filed a motion for intervention in lieu of conviction. She will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

44. Heath Z. Rowland, 26, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one counts of possession of heroin. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was sentenced to two years in state prison and a six-month driver’s license suspension.

45. Shannon W. Schwalbauch, 40, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 16.

46. Laurie L. Smith, 38, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for June 29.

47. Terra N. Smith, 38, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 15.

48. John P. Sutton, 60, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. He pleaded guilty on June 17 and filed a motion for treatment in lieu of conviction. He will be sentenced following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.

49. Billie Jo Thompson, 38, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A plea hearing and motion for intervention in lieu of conviction was held June 17, and her case was continued to Aug. 20.

50. Tamera J. Thornton, 55, of Circleville, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of possession of heroin. A motion hearing for intervention in lieu of conviction is set for June 23.

51. Mary A. Walker, 50, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for June 29.

52. Christian Welsh, two counts of possession of cocaine. The status of his case could not yet be verified.

53. James H. Williams, 60, of Circleville, two counts of possession of cocaine. A jury trial is set for July 9.

54. Cassandra N. Young, 34, of Williamsport, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 9.

55. William R. Young Jr., 37, of Circleville, two counts of possession of heroin. A jury trial is set for July 13. Young also faces additional unrelated charges in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court of breaking and entering and theft from the elderly.

Editor’s Note: Case status is based on the most recent information available from the Pickaway County Common Pleas Court and may be subject to change.