John Castillo, the former Columbus police officer who once was tasked with investigating drug crimes, found himself on the other side of the law as he was sentenced to 46 months in prison for his involvement in stealing and distributing cocaine. In a stark departure from his duty to serve and protect, Castillo chose instead to betray public trust and contribute to the crime he was supposed to be combating.
As outlined in court documents, Castillo, 32, of Grove City, conspired with an accomplice within the police force to lift roughly 10 kilograms of cocaine from a residence on North Everett Avenue, which they did not log as evidence. Instead, they planted two extra kilograms of the substance to be conveniently "discovered" by law enforcement at a later stage. The misappropriated drugs were temporarily stored in the basement of the involved officer before finding their way into the hands of another individual tasked with selling them. The series of events were confirmed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Castillo, arrested in early 2024, entered a guilty plea in June of the same year, an admission that ultimately led to his sentencing by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr. The case emerged from the extensive investigative efforts of the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes specialists from an array of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, and the Columbus Division of Police.
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kenneth L. Parker, along with Acting Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence, which closes a disturbing chapter in the Columbus Division of Police. The prosecution was carried out by Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty, highlighting a collaborative effort to ensure those who violate the law are held accountable, irrespective of their role in the justice system.
