By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
The four people arrested in Wednesday’s drug bust in Bucyrus made initial appearances in Crawford County Municipal Court Friday morning. Judge Shane Leuthold set bond for the three charged with felony drug crimes at $1 million each.
“You made the foolish mistake of bringing that (alleged “Blue Drop’ heroin) into Crawford County where my brother (Common Pleas Court Judge Sean Leuthold) and I don’t play that game,” the judge told Josh Keith, the first of the three felony defendants to appear before him via video feed from the Crawford County Justice Center.
“Blue Drop” heroin is being blamed on a recent epidemic of heroin overdoses in a tri-county area and believed to be responsible for several overdose deaths in Marion recently. Earlier this week police in Marion arrested the person they believe was responsible for selling much of that strain of heroin in and around that community.
Wednesday’s arrests in Bucyrus have not been linked to the arrest in Marion.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Hoovler, when law enforcement officials executed the search warrant at 902 Maple St. that led to the arrests of Keith, Gary Poth and April Dyer, they found approximately 11 grams of what they believe to be “Blue Drop” heroin along with cash and drug paraphernalia.
Hoovler said the reports from Wednesday’s bust indicated that Dyer and Poth told police they purchased approximately 90 grams of the drug from Keith over the last 30 days and sold 30 grams while using the rest to support their own addictions.
Bucyrus Police Chief David Koepke said Thursday he believed the house was linked to several recent overdoses in Bucyrus.
Keith, whose felony record includes a previous drug trafficking conviction for which he served time in prison, is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity which is a second-degree felony, third-degree felony drug possession and third-degree felony drug trafficking. If convicted and sentenced to maximum consecutive sentences, Keith faces a total of 14 years in prison and $35,000 in fines. Attorney Rolf Whitney was appointed to represent Keith.
Authorities believe Keith brought heroin to Poth and Dyer in smaller doses on a daily basis. Poth is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, fourth-degree drug possession and drug trafficking. He faces a total of 12 and one-half years in prison and fines of $30,000 if convicted and given maximum, consecutive sentences.
Dyer is charged with the same offenses as Poth and faces the same maximums if convicted.
Poth’s criminal record includes felonious assault and prison time.
“This court will not put up with that,” Shane Leuthold told Poth regarding drug trafficking. Adam Stone was appointed as Poth’s attorney.
Hoovler pointed out that two small children were living in the home and present during the alleged trafficking and during Wednesday’s drug bust. Crawford County Children’s Services was called to the scene.
Prior to appointing attorney Andrew Motter to represent Dyer, the judge told her when setting her bond amount, “We’re not going to put up with this. I’m not letting you out on the street to sell this poison. This (bond amount) sends a message to others like you to stay the hell out of Crawford County.”
The fourth person arrested Wednesday at the Maple Street bust was Keith’s father, James Keith. The elder Keith was arrested for violating community control from a 2012 case. In that case James Keith was ordered to pay $1,435 in restitution and failed to pay the entire amount. Shane Leuthold ordered him held on the probation violation charge and set bond at $25,000.
In an unrelated case, Robin Hall made her initial court appearance as well on a fifth-degree felony charge of drug possession for heroin. Leuthold set her bond at $150,000.
“You are a danger to yourself. Now you are part of the epidemic,” Leuthold told her. “I’m not going to let you hurt yourself and I’m not going to let you hurt anybody else.”
Attorney Timothy O’Leary was appointed to represent Hall.