A Columbus man with a past marred by convictions is once again facing the legal music after a Muskingum County jury found him guilty on multiple charges involving drugs and firearms. Shawn M. Atchley, age 46, now stands convicted of two counts of Having a Weapon While Under Disability, Trafficking in Fentanyl, and Possession of Fentanyl, as a result of incidents that unfolded on March 7, 2025, at Sharon’s Tavern in Zanesville. This conviction could net Atchley a prison sentence up to five and a half years.
According to a news release from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, agents from the Ohio Investigative Unit, while performing routine enforcement that lively evening, spotted the grip of a handgun peeking from the clothing of a tavern patron. Atchley was the man whose prior convictions—for aggravated robbery, involuntary manslaughter, and drug possession—strictly prohibit him from possessing firearms, and thus placed under arrest and further searched.
During the trial, Atchley defended himself, stating that he believed the substance in his possession was methamphetamine, intended solely for his personal use. However, the jury discarded this claim. A laboratory confirmed the substance to be fentanyl, and not just a trace, but an amount lethal enough to claim thousands of lives. The form in which the drug was packed led to the belief that Atchley's intentions swung towards trafficking rather than mere consumption.
With Atchley's past as a violent backdrop, Muskingum County Prosecuting Attorney Ron Welch hailed the conviction, stating, "Another criminal with a violent history linked to drug trafficking and weapons has been successfully prosecuted." Welch, extending his thanks to the Ohio Investigative Unit for their dedication, also commented on the jury’s performance, praising them for their careful deliberation. Yet to be scheduled, Atchley's formal sentencing in the Muskingum County Common Pleas Court could result in up to five and a half years behind bars, which includes mandatory one-year specifications, followed by mandatory post-release supervision.
