Two men have been sentenced to mandatory prison terms for their involvement in a drug-related shooting last year in Zanesville, Ohio, as reported by the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office. Christopher Stevens will face nine to thirteen years behind bars, while Oscar Thomsen has been handed an eleven to fifteen-year sentence. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, both individuals were found guilty of felonious assault with firearm specifications.
The case arose from an early morning incident on February 6, 2024, involving a shooting at 223 Adams Street. Arriving on the scene, Zanesville Police uncovered Benjamin Hanning with a gunshot wound to his left leg. Relying on interviews with witnesses at the scene, Zanesville Police Detective Jason Keck pieced together the violent altercation that reportedly started over a narcotics dispute between the assailants and Hanning. Found at the scene with critical statements that helped sew together the narrative of the investigation, witnesses were able to provide details crucial to the case.
Detective Keck's investigation employed a slew of detective work, including phone records analysis, GPS data, and a vital spent shell casing and slug recovered at the scene. These pieces of evidence were foundational to understanding the correspondence between Stevens and Thomsen before the crime. Thomsen’s involvement was also connected to a silver 2011 Dodge van that became a key factor and was impounded later.
Both Stevens and Thomsen were arrested after a string of events that included a police chase and Stevens' initial denial of his role in the crime. Joining them is Courtney “Peaches” McDonald, who was apprehended at a North Pembroke Avenue property, facing charges related to the same event. Discussing the victim before the shooting, messages between Stevens and Thomsen provided additional evidence of their premeditated actions. Each assailant's extensive criminal history includes violent and weapons-related offenses.
Last Wednesday, Judge Kelly Cottrill passed down the sentences, reflecting the gravity of the duo's crimes against the individual and the community. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of Zanesville residents and holding those who commit violent crimes accountable,” Prosecuting Attorney Ron Welch stated through Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office. He went on to commend the officers and staff involved for their diligent work and declared the sentence as a testament to their pursuit of justice—in all cases, even when the victim may not be entirely on the right side of the law.
The collaboration between the Zanesville Police Department, the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Zanesville Police Department was applauded by the Prosecutor’s Office, which credited their combined efforts in bringing about a successful conclusion to this violent episode.
