Ashtabula man indicted for having heroin, methamphetamine and a firearm

An Ashtabula man was indicted for distributing heroin and methamphetamine and having a firearm, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging Michael H. Sheffey, 52, with distribution of narcotics, possession with the intent to distribute narcotics and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Sheffey distributed methamphetamine and heroin on several occasions in April 2017, according to the indictment.

Sheffey possessed an FEG, Model PA63, 9mm pistol, and ammunition on April 12, despite prior convictions in 1983 and 1984 for robbery and in 1992 for aggravated robbery in the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Trumbull-Ashtabula Group and the Ashtabula Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.