(PATASKALA, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Governor Mike DeWine and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp today announced a significant methamphetamine and fentanyl seizure and subsequent arrest of two suspects.
“Two more pill pushers who contributed to the devastation fentanyl has created in our cities and towns are off the street thanks to solid police work by this task force,” Yost said. “The message is being made loud and clear that no matter where they are hidden, Lt. Cortright and his task force will find them and they once again have my gratitude for a job well done.”
While executing a search warrant Monday at storage facility in Pataskala, agents with the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Bulk Interdiction Task Force, along with Pataskala police, seized 2,350 grams of methamphetamine and 2,718 counterfeit Oxycodone pills that were found to contain fentanyl.
The Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Bulk Interdiction Task Force is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. The task force is funding through Gov. DeWine’s RecoveryOhio, in concert with the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the state Office of Criminal Justice Services.
“This task force did an excellent job connecting the dots between these two cases, and because of their work, these drugs will never make it into the hands of those suffering from addiction,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “Statewide, there are many drug interdiction task forces just like this one working day and night with the sole focus of putting drug traffickers out of business one by one.”
The seizure comes after a related drug seizure in February that provided info that there could be more drug activity in the Newark area. The task force was aided by the Office of Inspector General United States Postal Service, which helped lead them to a storage unit in Pataskala.
Timothy M. Corbett, 41, of Newark, was arrested and placed in the Licking County Justice Center on two misdemeanor charges of possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Reese M. Reed, 22, of Lancaster, was also arrested on an outstanding warrant and is being held in the Fairfield County Jail.
Both are facing additional charges related to the drug bust.
“These narcotics posed a threat to the public, especially those counterfeit Oxycodone pills because they had fentanyl – which is highly dangerous – and who knows what else mixed in them,” task force Commander Paul Cortright said. “We are thankful for the help of our partners in Pataskala and the U.S. Postal Service for helping us with this seizure.”
The Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Bulk Interdiction Task Force is led by the Licking County Sheriff’s Office and includes members from the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Coshocton County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and Office of the Inspector General – United Stated Postal Inspector.
A photo of the drugs seized is available on the attorney general’s Twitter page.
