A Circleville woman is facing two felony drug-trafficking charges after investigators seized more than two pounds of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop and follow-up search in Pickaway County.
According to a Pickaway County Sheriff's Office update, Andrea D. Crago was stopped Tuesday on U.S. Route 23 South near Little Walnut Road after an investigation that began with citizen complaints and public tips. Deputies also reported recovering $868 in cash.
Traffic Stop Led To Two Felony Charges
Crago was charged with two counts of trafficking in drugs, both first-degree felonies, and was being held in the Pickaway County Jail on $100,000 cash or surety bond. The sheriff's office said she was awaiting a preliminary hearing, and the charges remain allegations unless proven in court.
The investigation involved detectives from the South Central Ohio Major Crimes Unit, who conducted surveillance and collected evidence over time. Sheriff Matthew O. Hafey said additional charges could follow after the case is reviewed by the Pickaway County prosecutor and grand jury.
Search Warrant Produces Second Arrest
Investigators executed a search warrant Wednesday at a home on Turner Drive in Circleville, where the sheriff's office said evidence was seized. Rodney D. Crago, 48, was taken into custody at the scene on an outstanding child-support warrant, authorities did not announce additional criminal charges against him in the update.
The operation involved the major-crimes unit, Lancaster police, the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Circleville police, and Circleville Fire and EMS. The sheriff's office also urged residents to submit drug-related tips by email, through its website, or via its mobile app.
Ohio Law Sets Trafficking Penalties By Drug And Circumstances
Ohio's trafficking statute considers factors including the type and amount of drug involved, as well as certain surrounding circumstances, when determining the felony level. The relevant provisions are outlined in Ohio Revised Code Section 2925.03, the sheriff's update did not specify which statutory factor led to the first-degree felony classifications.
The case is expected to move through a preliminary-hearing process before prosecutors decide whether to seek an indictment. Until court records provide more detail, the sheriff's account offers the public a snapshot of an investigation that began with local tips and expanded into a traffic stop, a search warrant, and a sizable suspected-meth seizure.
