(McCONNELSVILLE, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Morgan County Prosecutor Mark Howdyshell, Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks, and members of the Washington Morgan Noble Major Crimes Task Force announced today the indictments of seven individuals suspected of operating and/or participating in a large-scale drug trafficking organization with ties to Morgan, Washington, Muskingum, and Franklin counties.
Investigators with the Washington Morgan Noble Major Crimes Task Force, which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, began investigating the drug trafficking organization more than a year ago, uncovering alleged crimes related to the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, and prescription drugs.
Morgan County Prosecutor Mark Howdyshell presented evidence in the case to a Morgan County grand jury this week, which indicted the following individuals for alleged crimes that occurred between April 7, 2016, and September 14, 2017.
Rodney Duane Mayle, 49, Zanesville, 14 counts:
- One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony of the first degree*
- Four counts of trafficking in cocaine, felonies of the first degree
- Five counts of trafficking in cocaine, felonies of the second degree
- Four counts of trafficking in cocaine, felonies of the third degree
Brandon Lee Kennedy, 29, Stockport, 7 counts:
- One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony of the first degree*
- One count of trafficking in cocaine, felony of the third degree
- One count of aggravated trafficking in drugs (hydrocodone), felony of the third degree
- Three counts of trafficking in cocaine, felonies of the fourth degree
- One count of trafficking in cocaine, felony of the fifth degree
Richard Leroy Mayle, 74, Cutler, 6 counts:
- One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, felony of the first degree*
- One count of trafficking in heroin, felony of the second degree
- Two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs (hydrocodone), felonies of the fourth degree
- One count of trafficking in cocaine, felony of the fourth degree
- One count of trafficking in drugs (diazepam), felony of the fifth degree
Gary Edward Scott, 44, Columbus, 1 count:
- One count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a felony of the first degree*
Douglas Kaltenbach, 56, Chesterhill, 1 count:
- One count of having weapons under disability, felony of the third degree
Leanna K. Seyfried, 58, Chesterhill, 1 count:
- One count of aggravated trafficking in drugs (cocaine), felony of the third degree
Tyrone Christopher Holbert, 30, Chesterhill, 1 count
- One count of possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), felony of the first degree*
Charges with an asterisk include one or more forfeiture specifications. Copies of the indictments can be found here.
Task force members served more than a dozen search warrants in Washington, Morgan, Franklin, Muskingum, and Athens counties last week in connection with the investigation, which remains ongoing.
“Drug abuse is wreaking havoc on lives all across the state, and we must hold accountable those who are selling drugs and making a living off of addiction,” said Attorney General DeWine. “I appreciate the dedication of the local investigators and prosecutors who have worked extremely hard to break up this drug trafficking organization.”
The Washington Morgan Noble Major Crimes Task Force is led by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and includes authorities from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Noble County Sheriff’s Office, Marietta Police Department, Belpre Police Department, McConnelsville Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Morgan County Prosecutor’s Office, Washington County Prosecutor’s Office, and Noble County Prosecutor’s Office.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Columbus Police Department, Muskingum County CODE Narcotics Task Force, Fairfield Hocking Athens Major Crimes Unit, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Athens County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation.
Established in 1986, the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission assists local law enforcement agencies in combating organized crime and corrupt activities through the creation of multi-jurisdictional task forces. The commission is composed of members of the law enforcement community and is chaired by the Ohio Attorney General.