Drugs, Guns, Stolen Cars Seized in Holiday Crackdown
Local law enforcement agencies teamed up to seize drugs, guns, and stolen vehicles with a major crackdown on crime during the holiday season.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman and Portsmouth Police Chief Debby Brewer worked with the prosecutor’s office, NBPD, Pike County Sheriff, and Ohio Attorney General on what they call Operation Silent Night. The operation focused on Scioto, Pike, and Ross Counties.
During the month-long operation, the Southern Ohio Organized and Major Crimes Taskforce went looking for drugs, illegal guns, and stolen property – and they found a bunch of it.
Eighteen suspects were taken into custody during the raids and the Task Force says it seized large amounts of meth and fentanyl as well as illegal handguns, shotguns, and rifles. Additionally, multiple stolen vehicles including cars, motorcycles, side-by-sides, and ATVs were recovered.
The first bust took place on December 8 in Latham, Ohio. Police took Steven Richards and Brooke Weaver into custody for receiving stolen property and on weapons charges.
A week later the task force raided a Waverly home and arrested Joseph Amburgey, Kaylee Perkins, Victoria Harris, and Donald “Catfish” Henson. Officials say the recovered $12,000 worth of meth, stolen ATVs, and multiple firearms from the scene.
The suspects were charged with drug possession, drug trafficking, receiving stolen property, obstructing official business, and weapons charges.
On December 22, the task force hit three different locations at the same time in Pike County. Officers recovered meth, fentanyl, and multiple stolen vehicles.
Among those arrested were William Stigall, Amanda Bellomy, Steven Angel, Robert Collier, and Erica Artressia, Autumn Satterfield, Sharon Kingston, and Christopher Elliott.
Charges from these three warrants include aggravated drug trafficking, aggravated drug possession, having weapons under disability, failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, felonious assault on a police officer, and receiving stolen property.
On December 23, Pike County deputies arrested Eric Scott on Long Fork Road on warrants by indictment for drug trafficking and drug possession.
The last arrest happened December 28 when Pike County Adult Probation arrested April Estep on warrants by indictment for drug trafficking and drug possession.
This operation was conducted with assistance from the US 23 Major Crimes Task Force, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, Pike County Prosecutor’s Office, Pike County Adult Probation, Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, Ross County Sheriff’s Office, New Boston Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Piketon Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Chillicothe Police Department, and the Ironton Police Department.
