Mount Orab woman, Georgetown man sentenced on aggravated drug trafficking charges
Two of the seven individuals indicted by a Brown County grand jury earlier this year for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking operation have pleaded guilty this month, according to court records.
As previously reported by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, seven individuals were charged in March after a seven-month-long investigation into a drug trafficking organization allegedly responsible for bringing pounds of methamphetamine from Dayton to the Brown County area. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Brown County Drug & Major Crimes Task Force, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mount Orab Police Department, Ripley Police Department, Dayton DEA and the Dayton Police Department.
According to court records, Jessica Jones, 37, of Mount Orab, and Donald Sherman, 30, of Georgetown, both pleaded guilty to charges this month.
Jones was indicted on three first-degree felony charges: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs. She pleaded guilty to aggravated trafficking in drugs May 19, with the other two charges dismissed.
The indictment alleged that on or about Nov. 18, 2022, Jones “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute” methamphetamine while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe” the drug “is intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.” The amount of meth “equaled or exceeded 50 times the bulk amount but is less than 100 times the bulk amount,” the indictment alleged.
Judge Scott Gusweiler sentenced Jones to a minimum of four years in prison, with a maximum sentence of six years under the Reagan Tokes Law. She had jail time credit of 58 days.
Sherman was charged in March with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; one count each of aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies; and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony. According to court records, he pleaded guilty May 18 to the aggravated trafficking charge, with the remaining charges dropped.
The indictment alleged that on or about Dec. 1, 2022, Sherman “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute” meth — in an amount between five times and 50 times bulk amount — while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe” the drug “is intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.”
Judge Gusweiler imposed a minimum two-year prison sentence, with a maximum sentence of three years, for Sherman, who had 71 days of jail time credit.