Scioto County Prosecutor

Scioto County Prosecutor The Scioto County Prosecuting Attorney is also legal counsel for county officials, county agencies, townships and various boards.

The Prosecuting Attorney represents the State of Ohio by inquiring into and prosecuting felony crimes committed in Scioto County by adults and all offenses committed by juveniles. The Prosecuting Attorney prosecutes, on behalf of the state, all complaints, suits, and controversies in which the state is a party, and other suits, matters, and controversies that the prosecuting attorney is required t

o prosecute within or outside the county, in the probate court, court of common pleas, and court of appeals. The Prosecuting Attorney prosecutes cases arising in the Prosecuting Attorney’s county in the Supreme Court, and assists the State Attorney General in pursuing death-penalty cases to their conclusions throughout the judicial process. The Prosecuting Attorney also provides written opinions or instructions to the county elected officials, boards and commissions in matters connected with their official duties.

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 17, 2026RUGGLES FOUND GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED MURDER, ARSON, AND RELATED CHARGES...
04/17/2026

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 17, 2026

RUGGLES FOUND GUILTY OF AGGRAVATED MURDER, ARSON, AND RELATED CHARGES FOLLOWING FOUR-DAY TRIAL, RECEIVES LIFE SENTENCE

A Scioto County man received a life sentence without parole eligibility for the next 48 years following his convictions for aggravated murder and 19 other counts following a four-day jury trial which concluded on April 17, 2026. 33-year-old James Ruggles of Scioto County faced 20 total counts, all for felony charges, stemming from an indictment returned by the grand jury in September 2025. Ruggles faced counts of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, arson, tampering with evidence, domestic violence, gross abuse of a co**se, and obstructing official business stemming from the murder of 59-year-old Rocky Jordan at his residence on Millers Run Fallen Timber Road in Lucasville on September 1, 2025. Ruggles also faced additional counts of felonious assault and domestic violence arising out of a prior incident at the same address on August 27, 2025, involving his mother. Ruggles’ trial took place in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas General Division and was presided over by the Honorable Judge Mark Kuhn. The State of Ohio’s case was presented by chief assistant prosecutor Julie Cooke Hutchinson along with assistant prosecuting attorney Matthew Loesch while Ruggles was represented by local attorney Shawn Stratton.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on September 1, 2025, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a friend and co-worker of Rocky Jordan reporting a grisly discovery. When Mr. Jordan did not meet this friend at their customary meeting point to ride into work together, the friend was concerned and went to Mr. Jordan’s residence to check on him. Mr. Jordan worked overnights at Bellisio’s in Jackson and usually slept in the afternoon/early evening hours. When Mr. Jordan’s friend entered his home after the door was not answered, he discovered it was filled with smoke. The friend then went into the room Mr. Jordan slept in to find him covered in blood and partially burned. A cause of death was not immediately apparent due to the significant amount of blood and debris on Mr. Jordan’s face.

The investigation into Mr. Jordan’s cause of death was led by the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of lead detective Sgt. Jodi Conkel. Det. Conkel called for assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio State Fire Marshall’s office. Crime scene analysis quickly discovered a machete, believed to be the murder weapon, that was left on the floor near Mr. Jordan’s body which was covered with blood and hair. The Fire Marshal office’s investigation determined that the fire was caused deliberately in an attempt to destroy evidence and was done with the use of an ignitable liquid. A bottle of hand sanitizer containing ethyl alcohol (an ignitable liquid) was determined to be of interest and collected for processing. Based on review of surveillance footage, witness interviews, and recent police reports, Detective Conkel identified James Ruggles as a potential subject in the murder. Around 3:00am on August 27, 2025, Ruggles had threatened his mother with a machete at the same Millers Run Fallen Timber address, although conflicting accounts at the time led to no arrests being made. Ruggles then showed up at a family member’s home in Portsmouth later that afternoon demanding his children be returned to him, resulting in Portsmouth Police responding to the scene. Ruggles admitted to a recent relapse on methamphetamine and was taken via a response team to a local drug treatment facility. He exited the transport vehicle before it even arrived at the facility, however.

Ruggles was ultimately apprehended and questioned on September 2, 2025. Initially he denied being in the Lucasville area on the day of the murder, later changing his story and acknowledging being present but claimed he left without any issues and denied the murder. He was confrontational with Scioto County detectives when they attempted to obtain DNA swabs from his person, leading to a struggle in which Ruggles briefly grabbed one of the detective’s sidearm. He was ultimately subdued and the firearm was found to be slightly dislodged from the detective’s holster. He later ran from the interview room in an ill-fated escape attempt and was quickly restrained.

Rocky Jordan was sent to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for autopsy. Dr. Lee Lehman, an expert forensic pathologist with 37 years of experience in his field, encountered injuries that he had only observed in three prior cases. Mr. Jordan suffered at least 7 chop wounds with a machete to his face, head, neck, and skull. These wounds were so violent that any one of them could have been fatal on their own. Expert forensic analysis found that Ruggles’ was a major contributor to the touch DNA on the handle of the machete used in the murder. Further expert analysis found that Ruggles’ palm print was on the bottle of hand sanitizer used to start the fire in Mr. Jordan’s room. Ruggles had three prior convictions for domestic violence, including two felonies which resulted in prison time. Ruggles had an additional felony conviction for illegal of conveyance of drugs into a detention facility.

County Prosecutor Shane Tieman stated, “James Ruggles is a violent, sociopathic individual who deserves every bit of the sentence he was given. This was a brutal, horrific crime which is among the worst that I have encountered in my career. My office hopes that this sentence and the knowledge that Mr. Ruggles will never see the light of day provides some amount of comfort to Rocky Jordan’s family and friends. We thank them for their support during the litigation of this case.” Mr. Tieman and the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office extend its deepest thanks to the citizens of the county who served as jurors in the trial. Mr. Tieman and the Prosecutor’s Office also thank the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, and the Portsmouth Police Department for their assistance in this matter. Mr. Tieman concludes by stating that, “This investigation in this case was tremendous and justice could not have been obtained without the efforts of the agencies involved.”

Early voting is still available at the Board of Elections in the Scioto County Courthouse. Today until 7:30, Saturday 8-...
10/31/2025

Early voting is still available at the Board of Elections in the Scioto County Courthouse. Today until 7:30, Saturday 8-4, and Sunday 1-5.

08/23/2025

The Auditor of State's office strives for clean, accountable and efficient governments for those we serve, the people of Ohio.

07/11/2025

PIKETON MAN FOUND GUILTY OF FOUR COUNTS OF MURDER, NUMEROUS OTHER CHARGES RELATED TO HORRIFIC QUADRUPLE-FATALITY CRASH

A Piketon resident received a life sentence without parole eligibility for the next 60 years following his convictions for four counts of murder and a host of related charges following a three-day bench trial which concluded on July 9, 2025. 24-year-old Gage Smith initially faced 47 total counts, 37 of them for felony charges, stemming from an indictment returned by the Scioto County Grand Jury in June 2024. Smith waived his right to a jury trial and elected to have Judge Mark Kuhn decide the merits of the case. He had further entered pleas to 5 of the counts he was facing prior to the start of trial, leaving 42 remaining charges for Judge Kuhn to consider. These remaining charges included murder, felonious assault, aggravated vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter, endangering children, aggravated vehicular assault, aggravated trafficking in drugs, and numerous others stemming from his actions which led to the death of three children and an adult female passenger in his vehicle on May 24, 2024. Also seriously injured was an adult male struck by Smith’s vehicle. The State of Ohio’s case was presented by chief assistant prosecutor Julie Cooke Hutchinson along with assistant prosecuting attorney Matthew Loesch. Smith was represented by local attorney Shawn Stratton.
The evidence at trial was that shortly after 1:00pm on May 24, 2024, Smith was the driver of a 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier travelling northbound on State Route 104 in Lucasville, Ohio. The front seat passenger was Smith’s 28-year-old girlfriend Courtney Copas, also of Piketon, Ohio. In the rear of the vehicle were three children, 6-year-old Madison Copas, 5-year-old Xavier Smith, and 4-year-old Navy Copas. The group was returning to Piketon, Ohio, having just attended Madison’s kindergarten graduation ceremony at Portsmouth West Elementary School. An eyewitness account indicated that Smith was weaving in and out of his lane of travel and passing other vehicles in prohibited areas. This same witness indicated that Smith was travelling at speeds approaching or exceeding 80mph in a 55mph zone. After Smith had passed another vehicle, he lost control of his Cavalier and spun into the southbound lane where the rear of the Cavalier impacted a truck pulling a camper driven by 29-year-old Tyler Bellaw, also of Piketon, Ohio. Bellaw’s wife Katelyn and their 7-month-old son were in a vehicle trailing directly behind him. Mr. Bellaw was remarkably able to bring his truck and the camper to a careful and controlled stop despite the massive collision. He never left his lane of travel and had no ability to avoid the collision.

Smith’s Cavalier, specifically the rear where the children were seated, suffered massive damage. The three children were entrapped in the back seat as a result of the catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Motorists, local residents, Ohio Highway Patrol troopers, and emergency first responders converged on the scene and began providing assistance. With disregard for their own safety, these individuals began tearing the vehicle apart to extract the children, with at least one trooper suffering injuries as a result of these efforts. Courtney was removed and the two male children, Navy and Xavier, were able to be manually extracted. Madison remained entrapped, and the jaws of life had to be used to finally remove her. After her extraction it was clear that she had suffered massive injuries to her head and body and was soon thereafter pronounced deceased at the scene. Navy and Xavier were quickly treated by emergency medical personnel but showed no signs of life. They were taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center and soon thereafter also pronounced deceased. Courtney remained unresponsive, albeit with faint signs of life. She was also taken via emergency medical transport to Southern Ohio Medical Center where her vital signs began plummeting. After being stabilized by hospital personnel, she was taken via medical helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus. She passed away several days later from a variety of blunt force injuries to her body and head.

A large-scale investigation by the Ohio Highway Patrol was immediately commenced. Search warrants were obtained for Smith’s blood, urine, vehicle, and cellular phone. Expert crash reconstruction and drug recognition troopers provided key insight into Smith and the vehicle he was driving. It was discovered that Smith had deliberately disconnected one of the brake lines of the vehicle and was regularly using the parking/emergency brake to try and slow the Cavalier. This brake line was ‘crimped’ off to try and prevent fluid from leaking. Four empty or nearly empty bottles of brake fluid were discovered during the investigation. The Cavalier was also a ‘salvage’ under Ohio law which had not been properly inspected. Smith admitted and investigation confirmed that he had never had a driver’s license in Ohio or any other state. The tires on Smith’s vehicle were nearly bald and had signs of dry rot. Only Navy was determined to have been put in a car seat at the time of the collision.

Smith further admitted to ‘snorting’ painkillers prior to the collision and to smoking from a THC v**e pen found on his person. Blood and urine analysis confirmed the presence of THC (ma*****na), Hydrocodone, and Oxycodone in Smith’s system. Smith was in possession of almost 100 illegal Vicodin and Percocet pills at the time of the collision. In addition to abusing these pills, Smith admitted that he was selling them for profit. Cell phone analysis uncovered numerous messages confirming Smith’s involvement in significant drug trafficking in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the fatal collision. Despite the violent impact of the collision Smith was able to walk away with only minor injuries.
The State of Ohio presented 21 prior to resting its case on the third day of trial. No witnesses were presented for the defense. Smith’s defense counsel admitted during closing arguments that his conduct was reckless but disputed that it rose to the level of ‘knowingly’ required for felonious assault and murder under Ohio law. The prosecution contended that based on the totality of Smith’s actions and the evidence of his knowledge that the results which occurred were foreseeable and probable, therefore rising to the level of felony murder in Ohio. Judge Kuhn agreed, finding Smith guilty of all four counts of murder (as a result of felonious assault) along with 33 other counts. He was found not guilty on only three lower-level felonies and two misdemeanor counts. Judge Kuhn then imposed four consecutive 15 year-life imprisonment sentences on Smith, ordering that each run consecutive to one another for a total sentence of 60 years-life. All other charges were ordered to run concurrently. The end result is that Smith will be 82-years-old before he is eligible to file for parole under Ohio law.

Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman notes that his office dedicated countless hours to researching and reviewing the facts of the case and prior legal decisions to determine the appropriate charges under the law. His office found that a prosecution for murder against a driver where there was not specific intent to cause harm was very rare, but not unheard of. He said, “This was not a situation where my office was determined to convict Mr. Smith of murder based on the emotional and tragic nature of the case. We did not set out to make an example out of him. This prosecution was based on careful review of all the necessary legal authority combined with the evidence of Mr. Smith’s voluntary, horrendous conduct which resulted in the inevitable death and destruction which occurred.”

Mr. Tieman and the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office extends its deepest thanks to the local Ohio State Highway Patrol and all of the local first responding agencies for their work in this matter. “I have long believed that we have many of the best troopers and first responders in the State in our county and what I saw in this case continues to confirm my belief. These men and women did all they could to save the victims in this case and to help bring Mr. Smith to justice for his crimes. We often see that the in the very worst of times we see the very best in people, and that has never been truer than what we saw in this case.”

Mr. Tieman concluded by stating that, “This case has had a devastating impact on the victim’s families and their loved ones. Additionally, it has had a deep and profound effect on each and every citizen, trooper, firefighter, and medic who had the unfortunate task of assisting and witnessing the gruesome aftermath of this horrific crash. My office and I hope that this verdict and sentence will grant some measure of solace to these individuals as they continue to morn and grieve the loss of the victims in this case.”

05/13/2025

SHANE A. TIEMAN
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
SCIOTO COUNTY, OHIO

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 12, 2025

PROCTORVILLE MAN CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED AGGRAVATED MURDER AND OTHER CHARGES FOLLOWING SHOOTING OF DEPUTY SHERIFF

A Proctorville resident received a sentence of over 49-54.5 years in prison following a 4day jury trial and approximately 5 hours of deliberations in the Lawrence County Court of Common Pleas which concluded on May 1, 2025. Fifty-one-year-old Charles Martin faced twelve total felony charges and an additional seven firearm specifications stemming from an indictment returned by the Lawrence County Grand Jury in October 2024. Martin faced counts of attempted aggravated murder and attempted murder, three counts of felonious assault, five counts of having weapons while under a disability, inducing panic, and obstructing official business. Martin’s trial was presided over by the Honorable Judge Andrew Ballard. The State of Ohio’s case was presented by assigned special prosecutors, Scioto County Prosecutor Shane
Tieman and Assistant Scioto County Prosecutor Matthew Loesch. Martin was represented by Huntington, West Virginia Attorney Roger Smith. The Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office had accepted a designation as special prosecutors in this matter due to the victims’ relationship with the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.
On September 28, 2024, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies, namely Deputy Wesley Barker, Sergeant Anthony Riley, and Deputy Charles “Jeff” Mullins were dispatched to 17 Township Road 1138 in Proctorville, Ohio following a 911 call reporting an intoxicated male, identified as Charles Martin, who was being argumentative and who had a number of fi****ms in his possession. Upon arrival, law enforcement met with other occupants of the residence, who directed them to Martin’s location in the master bedroom. The deputies identified themselves and asked Martin if he was armed, to which he twice responded that he was not. In reality Martin was lying in bed with four guns concealed underneath the sheets and another on the nightstand next to him. Deputy Barker spotted the stock of an AR-style rifle sticking out of the sheets and quickly retrieved the same. He then told Martin to roll out of the bed so that he could be placed in handcuffs. At that point, Martin sprang from underneath the covers armed with a loaded G***k handgun. Martin pointed the weapon directly at Sergeant Riley, who was able to retreat prior to being shot. Martin then aimed his weapon at Deputy Barker and fired a single round which struck him in the upper part of his right leg. Deputy Barker quickly returned a volley of gunfire towards Martin to allow him to escape from the bedroom. Martin retreated to an attached bathroom after receiving gunshot wounds to his lower body.
Deputy Barker was quickly tended to by his fellow officers and by emergency medical personnel. He was taken to a local emergency room where he received treatment for his gunshot wound and was ultimately released. Martin remained barricaded within the bathroom and was eventually apprehended by SWAT personnel after an hour-long standoff. He was then given emergency medical treatment both at the scene and at a local hospital. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was contacted and ultimately took charge of the investigation. Following this investigation, Deputy Barker and all other law enforcement officers were found to have conducted themselves in a professional and exemplary manner while Martin was indicted on the criminal charges detailed above.
The State of Ohio presented twenty witnesses and entered over one hundred exhibits into evidence during the course of the trial. The defense rested without presenting any evidence.
Martin was ultimately convicted of all twelve counts that he faced along with each and every firearm specification. Judge Ballard pronounced sentence on May 7, 2025, ordering Martin to serve forty-nine to fifty-four and one-half years in the Ohio State Department of Corrections. All fi****ms in the possession of Martin at the time of the offenses were ordered to be forfeited.
Shane Tieman stated as follows, “When our office was requested to see that justice was done in this matter as special prosecutors, we understood the responsibility that came with such an assignment. We have the highest level of respect and gratitude for the brave men and women in law enforcement, regardless of the jurisdiction that they serve. Any attack on them should always be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our criminal justice system.” Mr. Tieman and Mr. Loesch further express their deepest thanks and appreciation to the responding members of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Lawrence County law enforcement community as a whole.

SHANE A. TIEMAN PROSECUTING ATTORNEY SCIOTO COUNTY, OHIO PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 8, 2024 CINCI...
11/12/2024

SHANE A. TIEMAN
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
SCIOTO COUNTY, OHIO

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 8, 2024

CINCINNATI MAN CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE CHARGES

A Cincinnati resident received a sentence of over 50 years in prison following a 3-day jury trial and approximately 5 hours of deliberations in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas which concluded on November 7, 2024. 41-year-old Christopher Lorenzo Peake faced 22 total felony charges stemming from an indictment returned by the Scioto County Grand Jury in January 2024. Peake faced counts of attempted aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, burglary, felonious assault, improperly discharging a firearm in a school safety zone, failure to comply (commonly referred to as fleeing and eluding, tampering with evidence, and obstructing official business, among others. Peake’s trial was presided over by the Honorable Judge Howard Harcha III. The State of Ohio’s case was presented by chief assistant prosecutor Julie Cooke Hutchinson along with assistant prosecuting attorney Matthew Loesch while Peake was represented by local attorney Shawn Stratton.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that on Friday, January 5, 2024, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office 911 communication center received a call at 1:12 pm from a residence on Houston Hollow Road. The resident stated that two males attempted to break into the home. One of the males was prying on the back screen door when the resident confronted and shouted at him. Following the resident’s actions, the suspects took off on foot into the woods and in the direction of the nearby Scioto County Career Technical Center. A deputy from the Sheriff’s Office responded, began the investigation and patrolled the area looking for the suspects.
Just over an hour later, the 911 center received call from a male victim stating that he was pulled off on the side of the Vern Riffe Drive, the road leading to the Scioto County Career Technical Center. The victim testified that he was sitting in his locked truck waiting for school to release so he could pick up his daughter when a middle-aged black male approached his passenger side window. The victim saw that the male was brandishing a firearm, tapped on his window, then forced him from the truck. The victim tried to buy himself some time and did not exit his truck immediately. At that point the male, identified later as Defendant Christopher Peake, pointed the firearm in the direction of the victim and shot, shattering the passenger window. The victim then exited the truck while Peake travelled around to the driver’s side. At that point, Peake then again drew his weapon on the victim. The truck then began rolling away, at which Peake then turned his attention away from the victim and stole the truck.
Deputy Logan Shuff of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, assigned to the school as a resource officer, heard the gunshot and observed the truck with a shattered window quickly make a U-turn near guard shack at the entry to the school parking lot. The stolen truck headed back towards Houston Hollow Road as Deputy Shuff followed in hot pursuit. Peake refused to stop and a large-scale pursuit ensued. Peake headed south on U.S. 23 through Lucasville as other
Scioto County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives responded to assist along with members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Peake endangered both law enforcement and other motorists, including school buses, as he continued south towards Portsmouth, traveling at speeds of over 120 miles per hour. Peake’s actions were further aggravated when he began driving in the wrong lane of travel in an attempt to further endanger the pursuing officers. Peake was also observed throwing items from the stolen truck.
After travelling through Portsmouth, Peake turned west onto U.S. 52, reaching speeds of 140 mph. As Peake continued westbound on U.S. 52 and approached the county limit, the
Adams County Sheriff’s Office was contacted for assistance. Adams County law enforcement did as requested, and set up stop sticks just east of the Manchester Local Schools. Peake swerved to avoid the sticks, but in so doing he wrecked into a ditch, damaging the truck. Peake nevertheless continued to flee, travelling through Manchester at high rates of speed. Peake ultimately lost control of the truck and crashed into a guardrail just west of Manchester.
Law enforcement officers conducted a felony stop on Peake, attempting to remove him from the stolen truck at gunpoint. Peake refused to comply with commands and even went so far as to reach towards his waistband while threatening officers by stating things such as “You think I won’t, motherf***er?” in reference to using his firearm on them. Law enforcement exhibited tremendous restraint despite these threats and actions and removed Peake from the vehicle without the use of lethal force after a prolonged struggle. Peake then complained of a variety of injuries and pretended to have a seizure after being arrested. Peake also claimed that he had swallowed a variety of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. Peake was transported via ambulance to Southern Ohio Medical Center, where imaging, vitals, and bloodwork were taken. No significant injuries or other medical concerns were noted.
The State of Ohio presented 16 witnesses and entered over 60 exhibits into evidence during the course of the trial. The defense rested without presenting any evidence. Peake was ultimately convicted of 20 of the 22 felony counts he faced, including one lesser offense of attempted burglary. Judge Harcha pronounced sentence immediately after the jury returned its verdicts. Judge Harcha, during the sentencing hearing, found that Peake was a “repeat violent offender” under Ohio law due to having multiple prior felony convictions for both robbery and aggravated robbery. Peake was sentenced to a total of 50 and ½ years up to 56 years to be served in the Ohio State Department of Corrections. “The verdicts and sentence in this case truly reflect the heinous and incredibly dangerous nature of Christopher Peake’s actions on January 5, 2024,” said Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman. “Mr. Peake attempted to burglarize an elderly couple’s home while they were present, shot at a man who was only trying to pick his daughter up from school, then endangered countless members of law enforcement, motorists, and children as he fled through five separate school zones over 57 miles. It was nothing short of a miracle that no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of his actions.”
Mr. Tieman expresses his office’s deepest thanks to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, local members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Portsmouth Police Department, the Adams
County Sheriff’s Office, the Manchester Police Department, and the Wi******er Police Department, all of whom took part in the pursuit and apprehension of Christopher Peake. “The miracle I spoke about earlier was in large part a result of the bravery and professionalism of the police officers involved in the pursuit and arrest of Mr. Peake. I cannot thank them enough. I also extend my office’s thoughts and support to the victims in this matter and commend them for their bravery and poise on both January 5th and during the entire legal process as this case played out.”

LOCAL COUPLE RECEIVES LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE FOR HOUSING AND ASSISTING OUT-OF-TOWN DRUG DEALERS Two Scioto County resi...
10/02/2024

LOCAL COUPLE RECEIVES LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCE FOR HOUSING AND ASSISTING OUT-OF-TOWN DRUG DEALERS



Two Scioto County residents were each given lengthy prison sentences following a 2-day jury trial in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas concluding on September 17, 2024. 51-year-old Johnny Dale Fitzpatrick and 42-year-old Brandi Angelique Bevins both of Portsmouth, Ohio, each faced nine felony counts related to drug trafficking and tampering with evidence. Following less than two hours of deliberations, the jury convicted Fitzpatrick of each and every charge he faced while Bevins was convicted of 8 of the 9 charges. Judge Mark Kuhn announced the Defendants’ sentences on September 26, 2024, after hearing information regarding the Defendants’ criminal histories and the appropriate sentencing factors. Fitzpatrick was given a mandatory 25-year prison term while Bevins was sentenced to a 15-year mandatory prison term.

On September 14, 2023, the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force with assistance from the Portsmouth Police Department executed a search of a residence located at 408 Campbell Avenue in Portsmouth, Ohio. Prior investigation had revealed that there was significant drug trafficking of various controlled substances from the residence. When law enforcement entered the residence, they discovered Fitzpatrick and Bevins present along with Dayton residents Michael Anthony Lewis and Tony Walker. Fitzpatrick was covered in suspected drug residue and it appeared that the residents had attempted to destroy evidence immediately prior to the raid. Investigation revealed that Fitzpatrick and Bevins were the residents of the home and had allowed individuals to utilize the residence for the purpose of trafficking a large amount of drugs for a significant period of time prior to the ex*****on of the search warrant. After he was indicted, Fitzpatrick continued to engage in serious criminal behavior, resulting in additional felony indictments. Bevins’ bond was violated as a result of continuing violations while awaiting trial. Lewis and Walker entered guilty pleas shortly following their indictments and both received prison sentences which are currently being served.

The State of Ohio’s case was presented by chief assistant prosecutor Julie Hutchinson and assistant prosecuting attorney Matthew Loesch. Mr. Fitzpatrick and Ms. Bevins were represented by local attorneys Aaron Triplett and Valerie Webb. On behalf of the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office, Mr. Tieman thanks the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force and the Portsmouth Police Department for their assistance in this matter. “Our local law enforcement agencies and my office have devoted significant resources to combatting out-of-town drug traffickers who poison this community for the sake of profit,” said county prosecutor Shane Tieman. “However, we also remain committed to holding accountable those individuals who assist these drug dealers by providing them with housing and other support. We will not remove these individuals from the pool of prosecution nor will we minimize their responsibility. For anyone helping these drug dealers, I recommend looking at these Defendants’ convictions and sentences and reconsider your actions.”

Address

612 6th Street, Ste E
Portsmouth, OH
45662

Telephone

+17409813112

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Scioto County Prosecutor posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Scioto County Prosecutor:

Shortcuts

Share

Category