Archive of 12-23-04
On 23 Dec 04 Deputy Sheriff Mankins was dispatched
to assist New Matamoras Police Chief Denzil R. Knowlton Jr.
in a traffic stop, specifically to transport the third of three
arrestees to the Washington County Jail. While en route, Chief
Knowlton stopped the vehicle several times after the back seat
passenger Larry D. Harris, age 21, 107 Bridge Street, St. Marys,
repeatedly moved his handcuffed hands from behind him to his
front. As they traveled past Doak’s vegetable stand on
State Route 7, Mr. Harris again maneuvered his handcuffs in
front of him, slid open the cruiser’s cage window and
began choking Chief Knowlton from behind. Deputy Mankins responded
to the chief’s distress call and was shortly able to
release Chief Knowlton from the clutches of Mr. Harris. As
a result of Mr. Harris’ actions, Deputy Mankins charged
him with assault on a police officer, a fourth degree felony.
On 23 Dec 04 Kevin C. Beardsley, age 50, 210
Upper Fifteenmile Creek Road, Wingett Run, reported at some
point since June of this year, the windows on his 1986 Buick
were broken and four tires, rims and carburetor were stolen
while the vehicle was parked on his property off Lynch Hill
Road in Lowell. This case remains under investigation (296).
On 23 Dec 04 Lt. Wilson initiated a traffic
stop on State Route 7 between mile posts twenty-seven and
twenty-eight after observing the northbound vehicle he was
following travel
to the right of the white edge line, across the centerline
and back again across the right edge line. While exiting
his vehicle to speak with the driver, Lt. Wilson observed Valeria
M. Holdren, age 21, 425 Greene Street, Newport, bending over
in the front seat of her vehicle. Upon further inspection
Lt.
Wilson observed an open bottle of beer under the driver’s
seat and detected an odor of alcohol on Ms. Holdren. Following
her poor performance on three field sobriety tests Lt. Wilson
arrested Ms. Holdren for OVI and transported her to the Washington
County Jail.
RECENT DRUG ARRESTS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY
On December 02, 2004 inmate Steve McCabe was
in the Washington County Jail for violating the terms of his
parole with the Adult Parole Authority. McCabe was on parole
for a prior trafficking in marijuana charge out of Washington
County. Marietta Police Department and the Washington County
Sheriff’s Office received information that McCabe had
smuggled heroin into the jail in his rectum. The Washington
County Jail Corrections’ Officers kept McCabe under close
supervision and heroin was subsequently found inside McCabe’s
cell. McCabe was interviewed and charged with possession of
heroin in the amount of approximately 12.57 grams, a second
degree felony.
On December 07, 2004 a search warrant was
executed by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office with
assistance from the Adult Parole Authority at the home of Steve
McCabe on SR550, Warren Township. Officers from the Washington
County Sheriff’s Office, Marietta Police Department,
Adult Parole Authority, and the Washington County Prosecutor’s
Office had combined information into the activities at the
McCabe residence. Information was shared that led authorities
to believe the residence would contain illegal narcotics and
stolen property. A search warrant was executed at the residence
and at a storage building under the control of McCabe. A large
amount of stolen property was found along with a small amount
of narcotics inside the home. A 16 foot box truck was used
to remove the stolen property. A stolen four wheeler was also
recovered. Two vehicles were seized as part of the narcotics
investigation. The investigation continues into the stolen
property. Many of the stolen items were stolen from retail
stores and brought to the location to be traded for heroin.
Other items were stolen from heroin addicts’ family members
and taken to the home and traded for heroin. Property Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4.
April 1, 2004 two Washington County Sheriff’s
Office Detectives were assigned to work narcotics investigations.
Since that time, there have been approximately 25 controlled
drug buys, 13 search warrants, 7 vehicle seizures, and cash
seized. Since that time the drug unit has worked closely and
shared information with the Marietta Police Department, Parkersburg
Narcotics Task Force, Muskingum County Task Force, and the
Columbus Task Force on several different cases.
Since the beginning of 2004, approximately
621 hours of overtime has been worked on narcotic related cases
by Officers of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Since October 2004 approximately 150 hours of overtime have
been worked by Officers of the Washington County Sheriff’s
Office on cases involving Steve McCabe and his involvement
in the local heroin problem.
It has been found that the typical Heroin
addict has been going to Columbus to buy their Heroin. The
Heroin addict will buy several “sacks” of heroin.
Many of the “sacks” will be used and the rest are
sold locally to make money to return to Columbus to buy more
heroin. This cycle can occur several times in a week. Once
a person has begun dealing with Heroin in our area they have
been identified and actions to cease their operation are taken,
hence the above stated arrests and search warrants. However,
the “user” that is driving to Columbus and buying
their heroin and using it and coming back to Washington County
is still a concern. The heroin overdoses are due to the heroin
coming from Columbus and the effects are being felt here. Heroin
addicts buy their heroin already “cut “or diluted
with some other product (i.e. baking soda, baby laxative, etc.).
The addict’s body gets used to using a certain amount
of heroin. When the addict buys heroin that has been “cut” differently
with a different level of purity an overdose sometimes occurs.
The typical user can not look at the heroin prior to use to
tell the level of purity. At that point they have to hope for
the best, a guessing game they are playing with their lives,
similar to Russian Roulette.
The heroin users in our area that have been
identified usually have had an extensive relationship with
local law enforcement and the local courts. Many have served
time in prison or the county jails for previous drug offenses
or other crimes. Most of them do however appear to be repeat
offenders or repeat drug users.
Photos of recent arrestees:
the Sheriff’s
Office received the following warrants AND INDICTMENTS:
Douglas Hendershot, age 32, last known address
1308 Williamson Avenue Apt. 7D, New Matamoras, a warrant upon
indictment for aggravated robbery and for tampering with evidence.
Steven E. McCabe, age 45, last known address 17260 State Route
550, Marietta, warrants upon indictment for possession of drugs,
conveyance of drugs into a detention facility and for trafficking
in drugs.
James R. Busch, age 23, last known address 26935 State Route
7, Marietta, a warrant upon indictment for breach of recognizance
bond.
Kirk M. Urban, age 29, last known address 351 Everson Road,
Belpre, a warrant upon indictment for vandalism.
The following individuals
were processed into the Washington County Jail:
Valeria Michelle Holdren,
age 21, 425 Greene Street, Newport, for .08 breath OVI, a misdemeanor.
Holdren was arrested
on State Route 7 by Lt. Wilson of the Washington County
Sheriff’s
Office and processed into the Washington County Jail on
23 Dec 04 at 3:33 am.
Robert Eugene White II, age 49, 242 Pennsylvania
Avenue, Marietta, for violating the terms of his probation,
a misdemeanor. White was arrested at the office of Probation
Officer Ketelsen and processed into the Washington County Jail
on 23 Dec 04 at 9:35 am.
Michael Charles Plaugher, age 25, 1007 Third Street, Marietta,
for a felony charge of retaliation and misdemeanor charges
of assault and obstructing official business. Plaugher was
arrested at Cole’s Tire by Patrolman Hearn of the Marietta
City Police Department and processed into the Washington County
Jail on 23 Dec 04 at 10:00 pm.
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