The investigation began in August 2012 when Middletown police approached the FBI with information about the drug trafficking organization after noticing a significant increase in heroin-related criminal activity in and around Middletown.
Count two of the indictment charges Groves, South and Eric Redding with distributing more than 100 grams of heroin, a crime punishable by at least five years and up to 40 years in prison. South faces a potential mandatory life sentence, and Groves’ sentence may be a mandatory minimum of 20 years under federal law.
Eric and Cheltzy Redding are charged in count three with maintaining premises for the storage of heroin, a crime punishable by a sentence ranging from probation to 20 years in prison.
Officers arrested Groves, South and Eric Redding on May 9 and seized approximately 750 grams of heroin. Officers arrested Cheltzy Redding, Gardner and Payne today. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman ordered all of them held without bond.
If convicted of any of the crimes alleged in the indictment, the defendants must also forfeit any proceeds or profits they received from the conspiracy, in addition to any prison sentence they may receive.
Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Kevin Cornelius, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation Cincinnati Field Division (FBI), Commander John Burke of the Warren County Drug Task Force and Middletown Police Chief David VanArsdale announced the indictment which was unsealed today.
Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the law enforcement agencies and other members of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl Kadon is representing the United States in the case.
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