Williams County man indicted on heroin and firearms charges

A Williams County man was indicted on fireams and heroin charges, said U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman.

Zachary Thomas McCauley, 27, of Edgerton, was indicted on one count each of being felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

McCauley possessed 61 grams of heroin and a Beretta 40-caliber pistol and a Walther 22-caliber pistol between March 29-31, 2017. McCauley has previous convictions for felonious assault and aggravated assault which preclude him from possessing a firearm, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing 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 violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigating agency in this case is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Toledo. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.

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