A Jefferson County grand jury on Thursday handed up indictments accusing a Wintersville couple of running a cocaine operation out of their home while illegally keeping guns in the house, according to local officials. The two named in the filing are 49-year-old Samuel Craig Murray Jr. and 51-year-old Michelle Jean Firm. Authorities say the case traces back to a search of their residence earlier this spring.
According to WTRF, Murray was indicted on charges that include possession of cocaine, aggravated possession of drugs with firearm specifications, and trafficking in cocaine. The same filing charges the firm with having weapons under disability, possession of cocaine with firearm specifications, and two counts of trafficking in cocaine.
During the search of the Wintersville home, investigators reported finding cocaine, methamphetamine, two firearms, and drug paraphernalia, police told the Weirton Daily Times. The arrests followed the execution of a search warrant earlier in the spring, according to local reports.
Charges And What Comes Next
Prosecutors told The Herald-Star that the weapons-under-disability charge against Firm stems from a 2025 drug possession conviction in Jefferson County Common Pleas Court. With the indictment now filed, the case moves into Jefferson County Common Pleas Court for its next steps. Initial reports did not include arraignment dates or bond information.
Possible Penalties Under Ohio Law
Under Ohio law, penalties for trafficking in cocaine depend heavily on the amount involved. The charge can range from a fifth-degree felony up to aggravated trafficking, as laid out in the Ohio Revised Code (Section 2925.03). Having weapons while under disability is generally treated as a third-degree felony in Ohio (Section 2923.13).
Local Crackdown Context
This latest indictment comes amid a steady stream of drug and weapons cases moving through Jefferson County grand juries this year, a pattern local outlets have been tracking as prosecutors and task forces keep pressure on suspected trafficking in the Ohio Valley. Earlier coverage by The Herald-Star described a particularly busy grand jury session that featured multiple felony drug and weapons indictments.
An indictment is a formal accusation, not a conviction, and both Murray and Firm remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Future hearings and any additional filings will appear in public court records as the case moves forward.
