Major heroin bust has local angle
May 12, 2008
The smashing by authorities of an alleged heroin-peddling ring based in Columbus has led to 27 arrests, including six Nelsonville residents.
According to news releases from the U.S. Attorney’s office and the Major Crimes Task Force, the ring provided heroin to buyers in Columbus, Nelsonville and Marysville, all located along U.S. Rt. 33.
Working together on what they dubbed “Operation Alley Way,” federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies conducted undercover drug buys and cell-phone intercepts to break the alleged ring, the releases say.
Nelsonville residents facing felony charges include Paul Coon, Jr., 23; Samuel Gray, 35; Kristine Dixon, 27; Karessa Dixon, 24; Mark Dowdy, 43; and Wilfred Murray, 43.
Authorities say the probe began in May 2007, as a cooperative effort between the Union County Sheriff and the Columbus Police Department. The investigation focused first on Ronald Kelsor of Columbus, alleged in the news releases to be a central heroin distributor.
Using an informant for the Columbus PD and federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the law-enforcement team allegedly bought heroin from an accomplice of Kelsor, Victor Woodson.
In February of this year, a federal judge gave the OK for an intercept on Kelsor’s cell phone, which led investigators to the two men they claim were Kelsor’s suppliers, David J. McReynolds and Edmond W. Plonk.
On April 21, officers arrested Kelsor, McReynolds, Plonk, and Keith S. Hardy, and then executed numerous federal search warrants leading to the seizure of money, weapons, marijuana, and about three pounds of heroin.
An indictment in U.S. District Court alleges that Kelsor, Woodson, Earnestrine Bankstron, and Billy C. Lee operated the drug ring from a house in south Columbus.
Authorities claim Kelsor bought the drugs from McReynolds, Plonk, Hardy and Mandell Cantrell, and that Woodson, Bankstron and Lee sold the stuff in Marysville, Nelsonville and Columbus.
Twenty of the 27 indictees are charged with conspiracy to distribute over one kilogram of heroin, which carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison.
Agencies taking part in Operation Alley Way included, in addition to Columbus Police and the Union County Sheriff, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII), the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Fairfield-Hocking Major Crimes Unit, and the Westerville and Upper Arlington police departments.
The Ohio National Guard provided intelligence analysis, while the Athens County Sheriff and Athens Police assisted with the arrests, and the U.S. Marshals Service coordinated the arrests and court appearances.
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