There’s been a lot of controversy over plans to turn the Rodeway Inn in Rosemount into a rehab facility but now the motel is making news for a different reason. A raid conducted by the Southern Ohio Organized and Major Crimes Task Force turned up drugs and a parolee who wasn’t following the conditions of his release.
The raid went down on Tuesday when agents with the task force assisted by the United States Marshal Service and Ohio Adult Parole Authority went to the Rodeway Inn to serve an arrest warrant for parolee Nathan Willis on outstanding drug charges.
When law enforcement searched Willis’ room and vehicle, they discovered 15 grams of suspected cocaine and a pair of digital scales. Officers took Willis into custody and forwarded the evidence to the Scioto County Grand Jury to consider additional charges. This was Willis’ third arrest of 2022 and his 27th arrest overall.
Just a few hours later, the task force arrested another parolee after the Adult Parole Authority conducted a home visit at the man’s Summit Street home in Portsmouth.
This time, police turned up a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun in the home, which violated the terms of Robert L. Howard’s parole.
Officers seized the weapon, took Howard into custody, and forwarded the information to the SCPO for more charges. Howard is currently on parole for felonious assault.