Police arrest 12 on drug-related charges

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Three 2011 drug investigations and two recent tips have resulted in a number of people being indicted on drug-related offenses during Friday’s session of the Van Wert County Grand Jury.

Up to 20 people will be appearing in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court, many on multiple offenses, as a result of the drug investigations, which were conducted by the Van Wert Police Department in May and August 2011, as well as the two tips.

One woman, Kelly M. McKenzie, 49, of 908 E. Main St., Apt. A, will face charges both stemming from the 2011 drug investigations and one of the tips received recently.

McKenzie will be arraigned on one count of trafficking in Oxycodone, a third-degree felony; and one count each of trafficking in heroin and trafficking in counterfeit controlled substance, both fourth-degree felonies, stemming from the 2011 drug investigations conducted by the VWPD Detective Bureau and Uniformed Division and the County Prosecutor’s Office.

She also faces a charge of possession of heroin, also a third-degree felony, after she was arrested with 5.3 grams of heroin on Monday, January 30, following information that she was bringing a substantial amount of heroin into Van Wert from Dayton, where much of the heroin sold locally originates.

Police were given a description of McKenzie’s vehicle, when she left for Dayton and when she was returning to Van Wert. At 7:05 p.m. that day, police officers stopped McKenzie’s vehicle at the intersection of Washington Street and Hospital Drive. A search warrant was obtained and the heroin was found on the woman.

Another person, Ryan Schaadt of 989 Kiger St. faces charges related to information from a witness who reportedly saw heroin, prescription drugs, marijuana and a large amount of cash in Schaadt’s Kiger Street residence.

A search warrant was served at the residence and heroin, marijuana, methadone and more than $1,100 in cash were found inside the house.

Schaadt has been charged with two counts of drug possession (Methadone, a Schedule II controlled narcotic), without a prescription. The charges are both fifth-degree felonies. He was also indicted by the grand jury on one additional fifth-degree felony count of possession of heroin.

Others indicted as part of the February grand jury session include the following:

Kyle Barnes, 24, of Van Wert, three counts of trafficking in marijuana (F-5); Christopher Blue, 32, of Van Wert, two counts of trafficking in heroin (F-4); Ream Thomas Davis, 54, of Van Wert, two counts of trafficking in morphine (F-3) and one count of trafficking in a counterfeit substance (F-5); Jared Garwood, 27, of Van Wert, two counts of trafficking in morphine (F-4); Jeffrey Garwood, 48, of Van Wert, one count of trafficking in morphine (F-3) and two counts of trafficking in morphine (F-4); David Pratt, 32, of Van Wert, one count of trafficking in heroin (F-4), one count of trafficking in a Schedule I or II drug (F-4), and one count of trafficking in a counterfeit controlled substance (F-5); Zachary Springer, 19, of Van Wert, three counts of trafficking in heroin (F-5); and Adam Stripe, 34, of Van Wert, one count of trafficking in a Schedule I or II controlled substance (F-3).

The names of seven other people indicted by the February grand jury session will be released when they are served and in custody.

In addition, two others indicted by the January session of the grand jury were arrested and served. They include Shannon Hartman, 29, and John McGinnis, 29, both of Convoy. Hartman was charged with one count of trafficking in heroin (F-4) for allegedly selling heroin to a person in the front lobby of the Van Wert County Department of Job and Family Services, and one count of trafficking in heroin (F-5).

McGinnis was indicted on two counts of trafficking in heroin (F-5).

The VWPD also urges anyone who has suspicions of drug activity in their neighborhood to contact the department’s Detective Bureau at 419.238.4777. Those who want to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers telephone line at 419.238.STOP.