Leesburg man sentenced on first-degree felony drug trafficking charge

A Leesburg man was sentenced last week to at least five years in prison and ordered to forfeit over $20,000 after pleading guilty to a first-degree felony drug trafficking charge.

As previously reported, Preston Cress, 35, was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in October and charged with five counts, including trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a first-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a first-degree felony; trafficking in cocaine, a third-degree felony; possession of cocaine, a third-degree felony; and a forfeiture specification.

According to court records, Cress pleaded guilty to the first-degree felony trafficking charge and forfeiture specification Dec. 10, with the other felony counts dismissed.

For that charge, the indictment alleged that on or about July 8, 2024, Cress “did knowingly prepare for shipment, ship, transport, deliver, prepare for distribution or distribute a fentanyl-related compound … in an amount that equals or exceeds 200 unit doses but is less than 500 unit doses or exceeds 20 grams but is less than 50 grams.” It is alleged that Cress “knew or had reasonable cause to believe that the controlled substance was intended for sale or resale by [Cress] or another person.”

Subject to forfeiture was $22,305 that Cress had in his possession, due to its alleged “instrumentality in the commission or facilitation of the offense.”

During a hearing Jan. 8, Highland County Common Pleas Court Rocky Coss sentenced Cress to serve a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Under the Reagan Tokes Law, Cress could serve up to seven and a half years. He had 59 days of jail time credit.

Cress was also ordered to forfeit the $22,305, with $16,728.75 to go to the Highland County Task Force and the remaining $5,576.25 designated to the Highland County Prosecutor’s Office.

Cress was admitted into the Correctional Reception Center in Orient on Jan. 14, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

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