On 9 Jan 2023 Agents with the Southeast Major Crimes Task Force arrested  six individuals after executing a search warrant in Fleming, Washington County, Ohio.

Agents began an investigation into drug trafficking at 2095 Rocky Point Road, Fleming, Ohio, and a vehicle known to be at the above residence was stopped on State Route 339 at US 50. The occupants were identified as Clinton Hayes and Darnell Evans. 

Agents inquired of Hayes and Evans where they had been and what they had been doing. The two stated they had driven from Dayton and had just turned around in a driveway and were now headed to Parkersburg, WV.  Both subjects denied being at the Rocky Point Road location.  A strong odor of marijuana was detected coming from the vehicle. 

A second vehicle was stopped as well by deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.  Occupants were identified as Zachariah Butcher, Carrie Barton, Walter Trent and Eric Smith.  Deputies located the front passenger, Barton, to be in possession of drug abuse instruments (blue rubber tie off), and stated she was a recovering addict. Rear passengers, Smith and Trent, were also found in possession of drug abuse instruments (syringe and tie off, shoe string and rubber tie off).

On this same day Agents with the Major Crimes Task Force and Detectives with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 2095 Rocky Point Road, Fleming, the known residence of Jerry Caldwell.

During the execution of the search warrant, Agents obtained information that a safe had been moved from the residence, and taken to 4450 Barnett Ridge Road.  Agents obtained an additional warrant for that location and to open the safe once it was recovered.  The safe was recovered and opened. The contents of the safe included 224.81 grams of suspected fentanyl and 416.12 grams of suspected methamphetamine, a drug scale and sandwich baggies.

Agents, through the investigation, discovered that the safe had recently belonged to Jerry Caldwell. Caldwell admitted the safe had been inside his residence and was moved for safekeeping. Caldwell also stated the contents inside of the safe belonged to Clinton Hayes and Darnell Evans.

Carrie Frances Barton, age 37, 39 Amby Lane, Apt. B, Vinton, OH, Walter Michael Trent, age 53, 565 Essex Drive, Point Pleasant, WV, and Eric Von Smith, age 55, 507 Center Street, Mason, WV, were each charged with possession of drug abuse instruments, a 2^nd degree misdemeanor. 

Clinton NMN Hayes, age 35, 1524 Weaver Street, Dayton, OH, Darnell Devaughn Evans, age 20, 4642 Midway Avenue, Dayton, OH, and Jerry Lee Caldwell, age 68, 2095 Rocky Point Road, Fleming, OH, were each charged with  trafficking in fentanyl and trafficking in methamphetamine, all 1^st degree felonies.

Subjects appeared in Marietta Municipal Court on 10 Jan 2023.  The following bonds were given. 

Barton, Trent and Smith – $500 bond plus personal recognizance

Hayes – $100,000 plus personal recognizance Evans

Evans and Caldwell –  $75,000 plus personal recognizance

The Southeast Major Crimes Task Force is part of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Organized Crime Investigation Commission and is comprised of representatives of the Washington, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Meigs, and Athens County Sheriff’s Offices; the Marietta, Belpre, Middleport, McConnelsville, Nelsonville, and Glouster Police Departments; the Washington, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Meigs, and Athens County Prosecutor’s Offices; and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.