U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force

08/19/2026

Chillicothe Man, Donte Claytor, Faces Four Felony Fentanyl Trafficking Charges:

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A Chillicothe man is facing four felony drug trafficking charges following an indictment filed earlier this month in Ross County Common Pleas Court.

According to court records, Donte M. Claytor was indicted in a case filed August 7, 2026, involving four counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound under Ohio Revised Code 2925.03.

The charges include one first-degree felony, one second-degree felony, and two third-degree felonies, all alleging trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.

08/19/2026

- 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 - 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧; 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐥, 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠-𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

On August 7, 2026, deputies responded to a residence on Hock-Hocking Road in an attempt to locate a male subject with an active arrest warrant.

Deputies located Levi Koch, 35, at the residence. While on scene, deputies observed drug paraphernalia in plain view. Detectives subsequently obtained a search warrant for the premises.

During the ex*****on of the search warrant, deputies located suspected fentanyl and other narcotics, along with evidence believed to be associated with drug trafficking. According to Sheriff Lanny E. North, deputies also recovered a stolen dump trailer and a large quantity of suspected stolen tools and equipment from Powell, OH, located in Delaware County.

Koch was taken into custody and transported to the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on the active arrest warrant.

The suspected drugs and narcotics will be submitted to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation Laboratory for testing and identification. The investigation into the suspected drug trafficking and stolen property remains ongoing.

08/19/2026

- 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 - 𝐇𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐑𝐓 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭; 𝟒𝟒 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠

On August 10, 2026, the Hocking County Special Response Team (SRT) was activated to assist with the ex*****on of a search warrant at 20953 Sanner Road.

The Athens County Taskforce also responded to assist Hocking County SRT and detectives with the ex*****on of the search warrant.

During the search, deputies located forty-four (44) fi****ms, suspected fentanyl and other narcotics, as well as evidence believed to be associated with drug trafficking. This investigation remains ongoing.

A resident of the residence, Dustin D. Meadows, 40, currently has an active felony warrant for his arrest.

Hocking County Sheriff Lanny E. North requests that anyone with information regarding Meadows’ whereabouts contact the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office/911 Dispatch Center at (740) 385-2131.

Anonymous tips may also be submitted by calling or texting the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 740-380-HCSO(4276).

05/30/2026

04/22/2026

Chillicothe Police Department

Today 4/21/2026) we remember and honor DARE Officer Larry Cox. 21 years ago he was shot and killed by a robbery suspect.
Officer Cox had served with the Chillicothe Police Department for 19 years and served as one of the city's DARE officers at the time of his murder.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/17739-police-officer-larry-randolph-cox

04/22/2026

DEA Drug is this Saturday, April 25 from 10am to 2pm at @ Chillicothe Law Complex (28 N. Paint St, Chillicothe)!💊

Stop by to safely dispose of expired or unneeded medications.

Ross County Sheriff's Office
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

04/21/2026

Today we remember and honor DARE Officer Larry Cox. 21 years ago he was shot and killed by a robbery suspect.
Officer Cox had served with the Chillicothe Police Department for 19 years and served as one of the city's DARE officers at the time of his murder.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/17739-police-officer-larry-randolph-cox

04/18/2026

Let's talk about recovery!💬

Join us on Wednesday, April 29 from 10am to 6pm at the Community Resource Event at the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library Main Library Annex Building!

Event activities will include: education and training, food, health and wellness programs, Narcan, recovery support services, and treatment providers.

RCHD's Medical Mobile Unit will be at the event offering:
- vaccines
- Hep C and HIV testing
- Health Promotion and Quality Improvement Division resources
-
- fentanyl test strips

If you would like to be a vendor for this event, please click the link below to register:
https://bit.ly/3QdcdUM

For more event information, please contact RCHD SUD Program Coordinator Ashley Mitchell at [email protected] or Ty McBee at [email protected].

Ross County Post Overdose Response Team - PORT
Ross County Community Action(OFFICIAL)
Hope Partnership Project
Ross County Sheriff's Office
Chillicothe Police Department
U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force
Ohio State Highway Patrol

04/17/2026

Search Warrant Leads to Drug Seizure in Ross County

The Ross County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force, conducted a search warrant at 3168 South Bridge Street, Lot 5, in Chillicothe, Ohio, as part of the ongoing Appalachia Overwatch initiative.

During the ex*****on of the search warrant, agents seized approximately 34 grams of suspected co***ne. The evidence has been submitted to the crime laboratory for analysis.

Upon receipt of laboratory results, the case will be presented to the Ross County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of charges and potential grand jury indictment.

The U.S. 23 Major Crimes Task Force serves Ross, Fayette, Highland, Hocking, Gallia, and Jackson counties. The Appalachia Overwatch initiative is a proactive, intelligence-driven effort focused on disrupting drug trafficking networks and reducing the flow of illegal narcotics into Appalachian Ohio. Through collaboration and coordinated enforcement actions, participating agencies remain committed to protecting the communities they serve.