Defendants Charged in Prison Drug Conspiracy Plead Guilty

DAYTON – Seven defendants involved in a conspiracy to smuggle methamphetamine into a state prison, including a former corrections officer, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy and related charges in U.S. District Court.  

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Col. Paul A. Pride, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Gary Mohr, Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and members of the Warren County Drug Task Force announced the pleas entered into before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.

The defendants were charged in September 2017 in a three-count indictment. 

James Barlage, Jr., 31, of Chillicothe, a former corrections officer at Chillicothe Correctional Institution, and Anthony Scott Blankenship, 32, of Columbus, each pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Mario Evans, 40, formerly of Dayton, Edward E. Bellman, 45, formerly of Miamisburg, and Moses M. Stevens, 53, formerly of Xenia, who were inmates at CCI, and Jamey L. Naegele, 47, of Brookville, each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Jon Christopher Birt, 50, of Dayton, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in a separate case.  

According to court documents, the defendants conspired with each other to smuggle methamphetamine into CCI.   As part of the conspiracy, the defendants used an unauthorized cellular telephone from within the prison to communicate regarding the payment and transportation of the methamphetamine.  On July 14, 2017, Barlage was stopped by law enforcement while in possession of approximately 13 grams of methamphetamine intended for delivery into CCI.  On July 18, 2017, Blankenship was stopped by law enforcement while in possession of approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine.    

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Warren County Drug Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Dominick S. Gerace, Amy M. Smith, and Elizabeth R. Rabe, who are prosecuting the case.

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