Yet another out-of-town drug dealer has allegedly been caught operating out of taxpayer-funded public housing in Portsmouth.
According to Portsmouth Police Chief Debby Brewer and Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman, members of the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force executed a narcotics search warrant Tuesday morning at an apartment in the Farley Square area on Robinson Avenue.
Police say what they found inside paints a troubling picture.
Task force officers, assisted by Portsmouth Police SWAT, reportedly seized:
- About 213 grams of suspected fentanyl/opiates
- A loaded firearm
- Digital scales
- Baggies
- More than $1,100 cash
- Additional evidence of drug trafficking
Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs at more than $25,000.
Twenty-six-year-old Allen Deangelo Moore of Dayton was arrested and charged with first-degree felony trafficking and possession of drugs.
He was booked into the Scioto County Jail and is expected to appear in Portsmouth Municipal Court. Prosecutors may pursue additional charges through the grand jury process.
🏘️ WHY PUBLIC HOUSING KEEPS COMING UP
Cases like this continue to fuel frustration in Portsmouth neighborhoods where residents say public housing complexes increasingly attract outside drug traffickers.
Law enforcement officials have repeatedly warned that dealers from larger cities often target vulnerable neighborhoods and vulnerable people when setting up operations in Southern Ohio.
In previous interviews, local officials described a pattern where out-of-town dealers allegedly move into apartments with financially struggling women, particularly single mothers, and begin operating drug businesses from inside the home.
Police say those situations can quickly spiral into:
- Addiction
- Violence
- Child neglect
- Overdoses
- Weapons offenses
- Dangerous activity inside residential neighborhoods
⚠️ FENTANYL REMAINS A MAJOR THREAT
Authorities continue to warn that fentanyl remains one of the deadliest drugs in the region.
Even tiny amounts can be lethal, and investigators say large quantities moving through apartment complexes create danger not only for users, but also for neighbors, children, and first responders.
Officials are asking anyone with information about drug activity to contact the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force tip line.
