Two arraigned on felony drug charges

By Jane Beathard

Staff Writer

Two local men, netted last summer during “fly-overs” of suspected marijuana plots, were arraigned Tuesday in Madison County Common Pleas Court on felony drug possession charges.

John R. Harsh II, 50, 931 Plain City-Rosedale Road, Plain City, was charged with one count of possessing marijuana.

Sean P. Lee, 47, 1600 Arbuckle Road, London, was charged with possessing marijuana, as well as LSD and cocaine.

The marijuana-possession charges are third-degree felonies, based on the amount of drugs involved.

Both were indicted by the county grand jury in November, as a result of evidence gathered by local deputies and agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) during aerial surveillance in August.

Lt. Eric Semler, of the Madison County Sheriff’s investigative unit, said airborne BCI agents annually assist each Ohio county with marijuana eradication projects, beginning in July and running until the first frost.

“They fly the entire county,” Semler said.

Experienced agents have little trouble spotting pot plants from the air since they are a different shade of green than other vegetation. Once they note a suspected plot of drugs, they notify deputies on the ground who search the area, Semler said.

Sometimes plants are identified, but cannot be associated with a specific grower or property owner. In those cases, plants are confiscated and eventually destroyed, Semler said.

Assistant county prosecutor Eamon Costello said BCI agents in a helicopter spotted leafy green vegetation, believed to be marijuana, growing in Harsh’s home garden on Aug. 9. They notified deputies on the ground who confiscated 38 pot plants weighing 8.8 pounds.

During similar aerial surveillance on Aug. 15, agents observed suspected pot growing in a cornfield near Lee’s home. Deputies traced a garden hose used to water the 21 plants to a faucet on the man’s house. Lee denied cultivating the drugs and said he’d allowed a neighbor to use the hose. However, a subsequent search of Lee’s home turned up drug paraphernalia, as well as a small amount of cocaine and LSD, Costello said.

Common pleas magistrate Bob Woods entered a not guilty plea for Harsh and gave the man 10 days to hire a defense attorney. Woods ordered Harsh released on house arrest with an ankle monitor, pending a Feb. 12 trial.

Attorney Jon Saia entered a not guilty plea for Lee. Woods released the man on a signature bond, pending a Feb. 14 trial.

In other common pleas court action on Tuesday:

• Keith Daniels, 27, 115 Berkshire Road, London, was charged with burglary, theft and possession of criminal tools, stemming from a Sept. 2 break-in at the home of a family member. Daniels’ neighbor and co-defendant, Weldon Potts III, 28, of 111 Berkshire Road, was charged with receiving stolen property on the same date.

Woods appointed Dustin Blake to represent Daniels at a Feb. 12 trial. Robert Bannerman was appointed to represent Potts on the same day. Both men were released on signature bonds.

• James D. Rake, 28, formerly of West Jefferson and now living at 104 Berkshire Road, London, was charged with felonious assault on Sept. 29 during a domestic dispute.

Nick Adkins and Jesse Stacy were appointed to represent Rake at a Feb. 14 trial. Woods ordered the man held on a $1,500 cash or surety bond and told him to have no contact with the victim.

• Marlon E. Johnson, 40, no address, was charged with felony domestic violence, stemming from an Oct. 21 incident in London. Johnson was previously convicted twice of domestic violence.

Woods appointed Mike Murray and Seth Schertzinger to represent Johnson at a Feb. 12 trial. Johnson remains in Tri-County Regional Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

• Adam C. Glass, 24, of Westerville, was charged with felony theft, stemming from a Sept. 22 incident. Woods appointed Dale Frenz to represent Glass at a Feb. 12 trial and released the man on a signature bond.

• Bernard L. Finchum, 36, 105 W. High St., London, was charged with receiving stolen property, stemming from an incident at M.H. Eby near West Jefferson on Sept. 5. Woods appointed Thomas Arrington to represent Finchum at a Feb. 12 trial and released the man on house arrest with an ankle monitor.

• Robert Fish, 31, 148 E. First St., London, was charged with possessing a weapon under disability on Nov. 9. Fish, a convicted felon, is accused of pointing a gun at a roommate who alerted police.

Thomas Arrington was appointed to represent Fish at a Feb. 12 trial. Woods ordered the man released on house arrest with an ankle monitor.

• Zachary C. Allen, 20, 399 Madison Drive South, West Jefferson, was charged with four counts of trafficking drugs in the vicinity of a daycare in the village. Allen is accused of selling heroin and the painkiller Vicodin on Oct. 17 and additional heroin on Oct. 18.

Woods released Allen on house arrest with an ankle monitor, pending a Feb. 14 trial. No attorney was appointed.

• Emerson Jeffrey, 22, a Madison Correctional Institution inmate, was charged with possessing a homemade knife on July 26.

Woods entered a not guilty plea for Jeffrey and appointed the state public defender’s office to represent the man at a Feb. 14 trial.

Jeffrey is currently serving five years for burglary and tampering with evidence in Hardin County. His release date is November 2016.