Cincinnati man sentenced to at least 15 years in Brown County drug trafficking case
A Cincinnati man arrested in connection with a Brown County drug trafficking investigation last summer was sentenced recently to at least 15 years in prison.
Joshua Childers, 33, of Cincinnati was indicted by a Brown County grand jury in September 2023 on 12 counts, including two counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, both first-degree felonies; two counts of aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies; three counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, one first-degree, one second-degree and one third-degree felony; three counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, one first-degree, one third-degree and one fourth-degree felony; tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office reported last August “that from July 25-27, four arrests were made after a yearlong investigation into an alleged drug trafficking organization that began in the Cincinnati area and provided illegal drugs to Brown County.
“This investigation resulted in the alleged seizure of a large amount of fentanyl, methamphetamine and several firearms. The street price of the narcotics seized during the investigation was approximately $35,000 worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine.”
According to court records, Childers pleaded guilty Oct. 17 to four counts: two first-degree felony counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, one first-degree felony count of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and the tampering with evidence charge.
For those counts, the indictment alleged that on or about March 23, 2023 and March 30, 2023 Childers “did knowingly sell or offer to sell” meth in an amount equal to or exceeding five times bulk amount but less than 50 times bulk amount. The March 23 incident was alleged to have occurred in the vicinity of a school, and the March 30 incident allegedly occurred in the vicinity of a school and/or juvenile.
It is further alleged that on or about July 26, 2023, Childers “did knowingly sell or offer to sell” a fentanyl-related compound in an amount equal to or exceeding 20 grams but less than 50 grams. On the same date, it is alleged that Childers “did, knowing that an official proceeding or investigation was in progress or was about to be or likely to be instituted, alter, destroy, conceal or remove any record, document or thing with purpose to impair its value or available as evidence in such proceeding or investigation.”
The remaining eight charges were dismissed.
Brown County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Gusweiler sentenced Childers to five years on each trafficking charge, to run consecutively, for a total minimum of 15 years in prison. Childers was additionally sentenced to 12 months in prison on the tampering with evidence charge, which will run concurrently to the trafficking sentences. Under the Reagan Tokes Law, Childers could serve up to 17.5 years in prison.
Childers had 450 days of jail time credit.
Childers is incarcerated in the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
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