“If you are a drug dealer that comes to Scioto County to sell your poison, you will find out just how aggressive we are,” Scioto County Prosecuting Attorney Shane A. Tieman warned.
That warning came as Tieman announced major felony convictions against two out-of-town career criminals accused of hauling bulk narcotics into Scioto County along regional highway corridors.
In both cases, the defendants tried to get the evidence thrown out.
In both cases, Scioto County prosecutors fought back and won.
The defendants filed motions to suppress evidence, asking the court to throw out drugs, cell phones, and statements by challenging the legality of the traffic stops and searches.
The Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office defeated those motions in Common Pleas Court, with the court finding the Ohio State Highway Patrol acted within constitutional standards.
Detroit Woman Gets Maximum Sentence
Following a bench trial before Judge Mark Kuhn, Christelle D. Tillerson, 57, of Detroit, Michigan, was convicted of trafficking in cocaine and possession of cocaine, both first-degree felonies, along with a Major Drug Offender specification.
Judge Kuhn immediately sentenced Tillerson to the maximum prison term of 11 to 16.5 years in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction under Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Act.
The case started with a March 28, 2023, criminal patrol stop by Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Michael Phipps.
Prosecutors said Phipps spotted an empty 2022 Chevrolet Silverado U-Haul pickup traveling south on U.S. 23. When the vehicle noticed law enforcement, it made an evasive U-turn at State Route 348, headed north, turned onto Fairground Road, and committed a marked-lane violation near the Scioto County Fairgrounds.
Troopers identified the driver as Janae Wiggins, 23, of Detroit, and the passenger as Tillerson.
Prosecutors said both women were dressed in medical scrubs as a courier disguise and gave conflicting, fabricated travel stories.
K9 Katie indicated the odor of narcotics at the passenger door seam. A search turned up more than 120 grams of cocaine hidden in a convenience store bag in Tillerson’s passenger door pocket, right beside two active cell phones.
Forensic extractions by the OSP Computer Crimes Unit linked three recovered phones to Tillerson and revealed active drug trafficking communications.
Certified U-Haul records also showed repeated commercial vehicle rentals originating out of Detroit.
Wiggins had previously pleaded guilty and received a 7-to-10.5-year prison sentence, which she is currently serving.
Prosecutors also noted that Tillerson was previously convicted in Detroit in 1992 of second-degree murder, assault with intent to commit murder, and two counts of felony firearms, but received a sentence of only 10 years.
Tieman said Tillerson received more time in Scioto County for drug trafficking than she did for murder in Detroit.
Akron Career Criminal Convicted
The second case involved Antoine Reed Phelps, 33, of Akron.
On Thursday, Aug. 20, Phelps entered no-contest pleas and was convicted of multiple high-level felony drug offenses, including trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs, both first-degree felonies.
Phelps was stopped on Nov. 10, 2024, by Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Lewis on State Route 823.
According to prosecutors, Phelps was driving a rented black 2024 Kia Sorento when Lewis stopped him for speed and moving violations.
Trooper Lewis noticed white powder residue on the passenger seat and conducted a pat-down search. Prosecutors said the trooper found a heavy concealed cargo in Phelps’ coat pocket.
Lab testing by the Ohio State Highway Patrol Crime Lab confirmed Phelps was transporting more than 160 grams of bulk methamphetamine, more than 10 grams of heroin compounded with Protonitazene and Xylazine, 20 counterfeit Xanax tablets containing Bromazolam, and packages of chemical cutting agents.
Protonitazene is a powerful synthetic opioid. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that has increasingly shown up in street drugs.
Prosecutors said this was Phelps’ eighth felony conviction since 2007, with most of his prior convictions coming out of Akron.
Prosecutors Say Scioto County Is Not an Easy Target
Both cases were prosecuted by Chief Criminal Prosecuting Attorney Julie Hutchinson and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Loesch.
Tieman praised Troopers Michael Phipps and Nicholas Lewis, K9 Katie, the local post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the OSP Computer Crimes Unit, and the OSP Crime Laboratory.
“These two cases highlight a major issue that my office and assistant prosecutors face on a daily basis, career criminals who are used to lenient treatment in big cities coming to our county and expecting the same,” Tieman said.
He said his office works to keep high-level charges at the high level so judges can see the true seriousness of the case and sentence under the law.
“In Tillerson’s case, she received more time in Scioto County for drug trafficking than she did for murder in Detroit,” Tieman said. “In Phelps’ case, he received more time here than in all seven prior felony convictions combined in Akron.”
The message from prosecutors was clear.
Out-of-town dealers may think Scioto County is an easy target.
But in these cases, they came in with drugs, disguises, rental vehicles, phones, and lawyers.
They still left with convictions.