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Bust one of largest in Logan County history
A Bellefontaine man who is accused of running one of the largest drug operations in Logan County’s recent history had bond set at $50,000 on Tuesday.
Keith A. Close, 36, was arrested Saturday in possession of more than 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana and a half pound of cocaine after deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office pulled over his alleged supplier for a traffic stop earlier in the day.
Deputies believe he was selling large quantities of drugs out of his 508 Highview Drive home and law enforcement had received numerous calls from neighbors of the dead-end street at the east edge of Bellefontaine.
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On Saturday afternoon, a deputy, who had been following up on resident calls and investigating the case, stopped a vehicle driven by Dusten D. Dye, 33, of Ludlow Falls, after Mr. Dye left the Close residence, where authorities believe Mr. Dye made regular deliveries of bulk quantities of cocaine and marijuana.
The driver was found in possession of a small amount of marijuana and approximately $7,000 cash. He was lodged in jail on a probation violation.
Based on evidence gathered prior and statements by the driver, deputies executed a search warrant at the Highview Drive home where they found the bulk quantities of drugs, a suspected ledger of drug transactions, scales and miscellaneous paraphernalia along with an additional $24,000 cash.
Mr. Close was charged with first-degree felony possession and trafficking of cocaine and felony possession and trafficking of marijuana while Mr. Dye was charged with first-degree trafficking cocaine and fourth-degree trafficking marijuana.
Mr. Close appeared Tuesday in Bellefontaine Municipal Court and Judge Ann E. Beck set bond at $50,000 cash or surety and assigned defense attorney Peter K. DeSomma to the case.
The quantities of drugs involved and the frequency of the deliveries, which Mr. Close said could be up to a pound of marijuana and four ounces of cocaine daily, makes the bust one of the largest in recent history in Logan County.
“This is one of the biggest we’ve seen in a while,” Logan County Prosecutor Eric Stewart said. “It’s certainly one of the biggest we’ve prosecuted since I’ve been with the prosecutor’s office.”
He compared it to the 2002 raid on a city home in which Robert Russell Ratleff was charged and eventually convicted of running a crack cocaine operation.
Sheriff Randy Dodds also says it is one of the most significant local drug busts since the Ratleff case.
Based on the weight of the drugs involved in this case, the prosecutor will have the option of filing the first-degree charge with a specification that would declare it a major drug offense and require a mandatory 10-year prison sentence.
Mr. Stewart said the case likely will be presented at the April grand jury session, along with the major drug offender specification.
Mr. Close remained lodged in the Logan County Jail this morning and was scheduled for another court hearing today.
SEE ALSO: 2 ARRESTS MADE IN LARGE DRUG OPERATION