A 24-year-old Portsmouth woman charged with cocaine trafficking and child endangering is out on bond after a Scioto County grand jury indicted her and a New Jersey man already awaiting trial in an aggravated murder case.
Hannah Lynne Hughes Hickman, 24, pleaded not guilty in Scioto County Common Pleas Court and signed for a $100,000 bond.
As part of her bond conditions, Hickman must report to the probation department for the SAMS program and is prohibited from using illegal substances.
She is scheduled to return to court July 29.
Grand Jury Returns Cocaine Trafficking Charges
The indictment stems from a Southern Ohio Drug Task Force investigation that led to a June 24 raid at a Jackson Street home in Portsmouth.
Investigators previously said officers seized approximately 73 grams of suspected crack cocaine, a loaded firearm, digital scales, $12,077 in cash, and other evidence consistent with drug trafficking.
Authorities estimated the street value of the suspected cocaine at approximately $7,300.
The grand jury indicted Hickman on:
- Four counts of trafficking in cocaine
- Four counts of possession of cocaine
- Possessing criminal tools
- Endangering children
The indictment alleges that Hickman and Kenneth Bailey, also known as “Cash,” were involved in multiple cocaine trafficking and possession offenses on June 4, June 9, June 23, and June 24.
The most serious trafficking and possession counts involve between 27 grams and 100 grams of cocaine, making them first-degree felony charges.
The indictment also includes firearm and forfeiture specifications tied to the June 24 cocaine trafficking and possession counts. Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of $12,077, a .40 Glock 23, and a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.
Child Endangering Charge
Hickman is also charged with misdemeanor child endangering.
According to the indictment, prosecutors allege that on June 24, Hickman was a parent, guardian, custodian, or person responsible for a child under 18 and created a substantial risk to the child’s health or safety by violating a duty of care.
The indictment does not identify the child, and SCDN is not naming or providing identifying information about any child connected to the case.
Bailey Also Indicted
Bailey, 36, was indicted on the same cocaine trafficking, cocaine possession, and criminal tools charges.
He is also charged with having weapons while under disability.
That charge is tied to Bailey’s pending aggravated murder case. According to the indictment, Bailey was under indictment in Scioto County Common Pleas Court for aggravated murder when prosecutors allege he unlawfully had a firearm.
Bailey, who is listed in court records as being from New Jersey, is one of two men charged in connection with a December 2025 homicide near the Party Time Bar in Portsmouth.
Familiar Pattern in Major Drug Cases
The case follows a pattern SCDN has reported on repeatedly in major drug investigations: out-of-town men with serious criminal histories becoming tied to local homes, local women, and local drug trafficking cases.
A previous review of Portsmouth Municipal Court records showed no prior criminal arrests in Portsmouth for Hickman.
Bailey, however, was already awaiting trial on an aggravated murder charge when the drug raid happened.
Investigators have not said how long Bailey had been staying in Portsmouth or how he became connected to the Jackson Street home.
The charges against Hickman and Bailey are allegations. Both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
