Security News: 23 Ohioans indicted as part of narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine & other narcotics

Source: United States Department of Justice News

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges to a federal narcotics conspiracy case that now charges 23 total individuals. 

A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school.

A superseding indictment unsealed Friday now charges additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone.

According to the 42-count superseding indictment, from at least January 2008 until 2022, the drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of local West side Columbus residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficking those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio.

Most of the alleged drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus.

The indictment also alleges two defendants distributed fentanyl and crack cocaine that initially resulted in serious bodily harm to the victim, who ultimately died of an overdose.

As part of this case, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in alleged drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at Car-Go storage units, law enforcement officials discovered at least $1.2 million in cash. Searches of residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash.

Those originally charged include:

Name

Age

City of Residence

Cordell A. Washington, aka Corey, Dub, Bro

35

Columbus, Ohio

Patrick M. Saultz, aka White Boy Pat

44

Columbus, Ohio

David E. Price, aka DP

53

Columbus, Ohio

Allison E. Smith, aka Alli

27

Columbus, Ohio

Tavaryyuan Johnson, aka Gucci

22

Columbus, Ohio

Tyler N. Bourdo

28

Columbus, Ohio

Alexis C. Lewis

30

Columbus, Ohio

Michael Fowler

45

Canton, Ohio

Carmela Brooks

48

Canton, Ohio

Dustin A. Speakman, aka Dawg

32

Columbus, Ohio

Danny G. Mullins

53

Columbus, Ohio

Defendants added in the superseding indictment unsealed today include:

Name

Age

City of Residence

Robert E. Tinsley, III, aka Cam

22

Columbus, Ohio

Priscilla L. Washington

58

Columbus, Ohio

Lauren E. Brezney

29

Shallotte, N.C./Columbus, Ohio

Brittany A. Williams

36

Columbus, Ohio

Gabriel R. Smith, aka Gabe

34

Canal Winchester, Ohio

Robert L. Pyles, aka Pork

45

Columbus, Ohio

Mitchell A. Powers

33

Columbus, Ohio

Vincent T. Griffin

50

Reynoldsburg, Ohio

Caitlin R. Duff

27

Columbus, Ohio

Michael D. Burton

39

Columbus, Ohio

Brian K. Long, II

32

Columbus, Ohio

Anthony B. Frierson, aka Royal

31

Columbus, Ohio

Twenty-two defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone. The narcotics conspiracy is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. 

U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Indictments merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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