Mount Orab woman sentenced in Brown County drug trafficking case
A Mount Orab woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for her role in a large-scale drug operation in Brown County.
As previously reported by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, seven individuals were indicted 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.
Rebecca Tice, 64, was indicted on three counts, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; and one count each of aggravated trafficking in drugs and aggravated possession of drugs, both second-degree felonies.
According to court records, Tice pleaded guilty Aug. 4 to the aggravated trafficking charge, with the other two counts dismissed.
The indictment alleged that on or about Jan. 5, Tice “did knowingly prepare “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute” methamphetamine while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe” the drugs were “intended for sale or resale by the offender or another person.” The weight of the meth equaled or exceeded five times bulk amount but was less than 50 times bulk amount, the indictment alleged.
Brown County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Gusweiler sentenced Tice a minimum of four years in prison. Under the Reagan Tokes Law, that sentence could be up to six years. Tice had 148 days of jail time credit.
In addition, a 2021 Toyota Camry was ordered forfeited, as the indictment alleged that Tice used the vehicle to “transport drugs and/or drug proceeds.”
Tice is the fourth of the seven individuals accused in the drug trafficking operation to be sentenced for aggravated trafficking in drugs. In May, Jessica Jones of Mount Orab was sentenced to a minimum of four years (maximum of six years), and Donald Sherman of Georgetown was sentenced to a minimum of two years (maximum of three years). Richard Sherman of Georgetown was sentenced to a minimum of two years (maximum of three years) in July.
Cases are still pending against the other three defendants.