A former Columbus police officer has admitted to a significant breach of the law, pleading guilty in federal court to possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and to money laundering charges. Joel M. Mefford, a 35-year-old from London, Ohio, confessed to crimes involving over 10 kilograms of cocaine. This admission arrives as the latest development in a case closely followed since allegations surfaced.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported that Mefford, while assigned to drug crimes investigations, collaborated with another unnamed police officer to steal cocaine seized during operations. These incidents occurred between February and April of 2020. Mefford's role involved skirting the law he once vowed to uphold, removing evidence from crime scenes and the Columbus police property room, and setting in motion a scheme to launder the proceeds from the illicit drug sales.
Details of Mefford's misdeeds outline how cocaine discovered during illegal searches was partially seized and subsequently sold. An instance involves entering a garage without a warrant, discovering two kilograms of cocaine, and only confiscating one for evidence. Another recounts him removing drugs from Columbus homes on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue. Mefford was said to have netted approximately $130,000 from these sales, of which more than $72,000 was deposited into his personal bank account.
The gravity of these offenses is not lost on the judicial system. Possession with intent to distribute significant amounts of cocaine can result in a prison sentence ranging from 10 years to a life sentence, while money laundering could tack on up to an additional ten years behind bars. Sentencing is yet to be decided, with the court's determination to be influenced by advisory guidelines, among other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kenneth L. Parker, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola were the officials announcing Mefford's guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. The FBI's Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force investigated the case, reflecting a growing concern over corruption within law enforcement ranks. Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty handle the prosecution's case.
