A man wanted for rape in Akron is now behind bars in Scioto County, thanks to a coordinated takedown involving local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 57-year-old Lowell Gregory Strickland of Minford, Ohio, was arrested without incident at the Four Keys Inn on the Scioto Trail in Portsmouth. A plainclothes deputy first spotted Strickland at the motel’s office and discreetly alerted nearby uniformed deputies, who staged just down the street and out of sight. When the time was right, officers from the Southern Ohio Organized & Major Crimes Task Force and the Portsmouth Police Department moved in and took Strickland into custody.
Strickland had been wanted on an outstanding rape warrant issued in Akron. A joint investigation by the Task Force, the United States Marshals Service, and the Akron Police Department had tracked his movements to southern Ohio, ultimately leading to his capture.
He was transported to the Scioto County Jail for processing and is being held pending extradition to Akron, where he will face the charges against him.
“This arrest demonstrates the strength of collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies,” said Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman. “The Southern Ohio Organized & Major Crimes Task Force remains committed to tracking down violent offenders and ensuring they face justice.”
The arrest was announced jointly by Ohio Attorney General David Yost, Sheriff David Thoroughman, Portsmouth Police Chief Debby Brewer, New Boston Police Chief Carl Compton, Scioto County Prosecuting Attorney Shane Tieman, Pike County Sheriff Tracy Evans, Pike County Prosecuting Attorney Michael A. Davis, and Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless.
