(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the following bills into law:
Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer, modifies the law regarding assault or menacing committed or directed against, and targeting, an emergency service responder, family member, or co-worker; the offense of unlawfully impeding public passage of an emergency service responder; prohibits certain sex offenders and child-victim offenders from engaging in a specified volunteer capacity involving direct work with, or supervision or disciplinary power over, minors; makes changes to the offense of voyeurism; firearms qualification for county correctional officers; the specification that there is no period of limitations for prosecution of a conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, aggravated murder or murder; a political subdivision’s emergency powers when suppressing a riot, mob, or potential riot or mob; the preservation of rights regarding deadly weapons and firearms during an emergency; the penalties for the offense of importuning; additions to the Statewide Emergency Alert Program; the requirement that county prosecutors annually report all case resolutions to the board of county commissioners and all fire-related case resolutions to the State Fire Marshal; and the removal of ankle and leg restraints from those prohibited for use on a pregnant charged or convicted criminal offender or a pregnant charged or convicted delinquent child, and the lowering of the required threat level for this use of restraints.
House Bill 279, sponsored by Representatives Richard D. Brown and Scott Oelslager, revises the law regarding wrongful death claims.
House Bill 364, sponsored by Representative Thomas F. Patton, modifies the application process for the waterworks infrastructure improvement surcharge and to residential PACE lien priority, creates exceptions to the moratorium on modifications to hazardous waste incinerator installation and operation permits, and eliminates public water system asset management program requirements for transient noncommmunity water systems.
Governor DeWine today also vetoed House Bill 286, which would have generally changed the venue in which appeal from an agency order is proper to the local court of common pleas, provided that a civil action to challenge a state administrative order issued in a state of emergency be brought in the Court of Claims, and to allowed the General Assembly and the Governor to retain special counsel. Governor’s Veto Message
December 31, 1969, Delta Company is still working the same area where the day before we lost Marlin (KIA) and Young, Howard and Piccirillo (WIA). Ben Chua had always been a strong hold for the NVA/VC and a dangerous area to work.
Late in the afternoon we decided on a location for our night ambush position. It was a trail that showed some recent foot activity (Ho Chi Minh sandal prints).
The sandals were worn by enemy soldiers and were made from recycled tires. We waited until last light to move into the AP (ambush position). We setup our claymores to cover the kill zone and placed mechanical claymores up and down the trail. We called our position into TOC (tactical operations center) and plotted the location with Artillery (red legs) at Fire Base Kien. We set up a watch schedule and remained at 100% until darkness fell.
Throughout the night we could see and hear Night Hawks (helicopters fitted with infrared night vision and electric mini guns that fired 4,000 rounds a minute) working in the area. They were used at night for close in support or when targets of opportunity were located. Suddenly, at approximately 0500 on January 1, 1970, one of the mechanical claymores detonated. We checked out the area but could only find the remains of a rabbit that apparently set off the device.
It wasn’t a good start to the New Year for the rabbit.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — In the final days of the year, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed eight consumer-protection lawsuits across the state against businesses accused of ripping off Ohioans, reinforcing his commitment to holding “bad actors” accountable.
“Misleading and unlawful business practices – especially those that take direct aim at customers’ wallets – will not be overlooked,” Yost said. “Ohioans work hard for their money, and we work year-round to protect it.”
Here is a timeline of the suit filings:
Dec. 22: Three Cincinnati-area appliance-supply companies and the owners are accused of accepting nearly $4,900 in payments from consumers but not providing any appliances or other services. The companies also failed to register with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, as required by state law.
Yost’s lawsuit, filed in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, contends that Terry Haynes and Amy Garcia – as operators of Queen City Appliances, A Plus Appliance Repair, and Certified Appliance Repair – violated Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Haynes has a history of setting up a new company after consumers complain to the Attorney General’s Office about an existing company.
Yost sued Haynes in November 2019 over similar violations. The ensuing judgment prohibited Haynes from working as a supplier in Ohio until he reimbursed customers and paid associated penalties and fees – neither of which he has done.
Dec. 27: A Hilliard caterer allegedly accepted money from customers for weddings and other events but didn’t provide adequate services – or, in some cases, any services – and refused to refund the money.
Yost’s lawsuit, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, accuses Michael Morales and his two catering companies, Tasteful Occasion and Kool Daddy’s BBQ, of violating the Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Roughly $7,000 was taken from consumers, according to complaints filed with the Attorney General’s Office.
Dec. 27: A Dayton home-landscaping contractor is accused of taking $12,500 from homeowners who made payments for fences that were never constructed.
Yost’s lawsuit, filed in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, accuses B&R Fence & More and its owner, Robert Wood, of multiple violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.
Dec. 28: A Heath furniture store and its owner reportedly sold furniture to consumers with far-off delivery dates and then misled the buyers about the status of their orders, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as a cover.
The lawsuit, filed in Licking County Common Pleas Court, maintains that Heath Furniture & Mattress and owner Rick Wallace failed to deliver furniture and engaged in deceptive sales practices, both violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Wallace and his company took nearly $13,600 from customers, according to complaints filed with the Attorney General’s Office.
Dec. 29: MH&D Construction of Springfield and its owner, Michael Collett, allegedly swindled $31,600 from consumers who made payments for various home-improvement projects that weren’t completed and for which refunds were never provided.
Yost’s lawsuit, filed this week in Clark County Common Pleas Court, cites two violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act and one violation of the Home Solicitation Sales Act.
Dec. 29: A Columbus driveway repair and installation company is being sued for failing to complete work or provide refunds and failing to honor warranties.
The lawsuit, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, accuses Pave Tech Asphalt Services of multiple violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.
The Attorney General’s Office fielded seven complaints about Pave Tech. According to the complaints, consumers were cheated out of $12,400.
Dec. 29: A similar lawsuit filed in the same court on the same day names Tri County Asphalt.
The company’s tactics prompted 22 complaints to the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau. In total, the complaints allege that Tri County cheated consumers out of $8,000.
Yost’s lawsuit cites multiple violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.
For each of these seven filings, the state seeks an order requiring the defendants to reimburse consumers and pay civil penalties and court costs. It also requests an order preventing the defendants from engaging in business in any consumer transactions in Ohio until those debts are paid.
Yost also filed a lawsuit on Dec. 22 against a used-car dealership and its owner for violations of consumer protection laws and failure to deliver vehicle titles to consumers.
Before Yost’s lawsuit was filed in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, the Attorney General’s Office fielded 34 title-related complaints about IM Approved Store, currently operating in Cleveland. The suit accuses owner Benny Ingram of violating the Consumer Sales Practices Act and Certificate of Motor Vehicles Title Act.
Yost seeks to recover the amount of money paid to resolve consumer complaints. Additionally, the complaint asks the court to impose a civil penalty and prohibit Ingram from maintaining or applying for auto-dealer or salesperson licenses.
Ohioans who suspect unfair or deceptive business practices should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp placed a friendly wager ahead of the College Football Playoff semifinal between The Ohio State University and the University of Georgia at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
This year, Governor DeWine offered some of Ohio’s famous buckeye candies from Marsha’s Homemade Buckeyes in Perrysburg; Stewart’s Root Beer, which was founded in Mansfield, Ohio, in 1924; and some Ohio maple syrup made by Governor DeWine’s son John DeWine at Flying Mouse Farms in Yellow Springs.
In turn, Governor Kemp put forward some Georgia-grown agricultural products, including Georgia-grown peaches, in honor of the Peach Bowl game; Georgia peanuts; and Georgia-made apple cider
The friendly wager was announced on Twitter with videos from both Governors:
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The law enforcement task forces organized under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) confiscated more than $64 million in illegal drugs in 2022 alone, taking a bite out of the trafficking business in Ohio and inevitably saving lives.
“Every ounce of fentanyl taken off the street can prevent an overdose, just like every illegal gun seized has the potential to save a life,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who chairs the commission. “The work of our task forces is often covert, but the results do not go unnoticed.”
Besides the narcotics, task forces also seized 437 firearms and $7.7 million in currency in 2022.
The 2022 numbers bring the total task force seizures during Yost’s first term to $239.9 million in narcotics, 1,374 firearms and $56 million in currency.
Here is a year-by-year breakdown of the drugs confiscated:
Under OOCIC’s direction, task forces are formed through collaborative efforts and often involve local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Specifically, major drug interdiction task forces operate throughout the state with a focus on seizing illegal narcotics, weapons and cash before they impact Ohio communities.
Several major drug task forces exist and are funded through RecoveryOhio, in concert with the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Criminal Justice Services.
Here is a sampling of the seizures in 2022:
Central Ohio Major Drug Interdiction Task Force
In March, detectives assigned to the task force seized a parcel containing several criminal indicators. Further investigative work established that the shipper and recipient of the parcel. When the parcel was opened during the execution of a search warrant, detectives discovered four kilograms of cocaine.
In May, task force officers seized a parcel containing 1,000 grams of fentanyl. The investigation ultimately led investigators to a residence on the west side of Columbus where an additional 7,750 grams of fentanyl was seized.
The task force includes the Columbus Division of Police, AG’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Gahanna Police, the Internal Revenue Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the State Highway Patrol, the U.S. Postal Inspector, Ohio HIDTA and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Licking, Guernsey, and Muskingum County Major Drug Interdiction Task Force
In July, task force agents received a tip from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration concerning a suspected package at the parcel facility. Utilizing a K-9, approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine was recovered. The package originated from southern California with a destination of Zanesville.
The task force, also known as the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force (CODE) includes the sheriff’s offices in Licking, Muskingum, Guernsey, Knox, Perry and Coshocton counties; the Ohio State Highway Patrol; the U.S. Postal Inspector; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Licking County Prosecutor’s Office
Medina and Summit Counties Major Drug Interdiction Task Force
In April, the task force, which operates as the Ohio Northeast Smuggling Enforcement Team (ONSET), became aware of a drug trafficking suspect staying at a local hotel. The suspect parked a car at a Target retail location and entered the store but never returned to the truck. ONSET continued surveillance on the truck. The task force executed a search warrant on the vehicle and seized $1,054,130 in bulk currency. The vehicle was towed by a local company and impounded. The suspect sought out the vehicle but denied any knowledge of the money and abandoned the cash.
In August, ONSET located two drug trafficking suspects in Summit County who were driving an SUV with Texas license plate. The task force officers determined that the driver was a resident of Michigan and had purchased the vehicle with cash. The suspects were observed traveling to a residence in Akron, where a third suspect showed up and left with a large bag. The third suspect’s vehicle was stopped and 9 pounds of marijuana, two handguns and $9,400 were seized. A search warrant was obtained for the Akron resident. The original two suspects, along with two additional males were arrested. In total, $21,300, 60 pounds of marijuana, 49 suspected fentanyl pills, 12 bottles of promethazine and 3 guns were seized.
The task force includes the sheriff’s offices in Medina and Summit counties, the Copley Township Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Medina County Drug Task Force, the State Highway Patrol, the Summit County Drug Task Force, the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office and the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office.
Lucas and Wood Counties Major Drug Interdiction Task Force
The task force, also known as the NW Ohio Bulk Currency Task Force, assisted the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office with an investigation that included a deceased individual in June. Initial responders discovered evidence of drug trafficking and notified the task force. Officers executed a search warrant and located 40 pounds of marijuana, drug trafficking ledgers and $166,597.
The task force includes the Toledo Police Department, the sheriff’s offices in Lucas and Wood counties, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Toledo Drug Task Force, the State Highway Patrol, Perrysburg Police, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Ohio, the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office and the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office.
Additional seizures and arrests were conducted by the Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force, Belmont County Major Drug Interdiction Task Force and the Hamilton County Drug Interdiction Task Force.
Since 2012, OOCIC’s task forces have seized narcotics with an estimated value of $426,626,894, including 752 pounds of heroin, 1,002 pounds of fentanyl, 12,316 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,328 pounds of cocaine, and 42,262 pounds of marijuana. The task forces have also seized $87,924,006 in US currency and 2,736 firearms.
December 23-24-25, 1969, Delta Company occupied what was known as the “Old French Fort”.
The position had been abandoned by the French in 1954 and sat alongside a dirt road shown on our maps as LTL Route14. The location was nothing more than a 4-foot raised earth berm shaped as a triangle.
It was close to the Saigon River which served as a major infiltration route used by the NVA-VC. We would use this location as a company NDP (night defensive position) for the next several days.
Troops from our unit, Manny Pais, Roger Lynch and Charlie Scott were sent to the Bob Hope Christmas show in Lai Khe. During the day we conducted RIF operations (reconnaissance-in-force) in the area and at night occupied the NDP. No contacts with the enemy took place.
On Christmas Day we had a hot meal flown in by helicopter. The chow was delivered in mermite cans to our position.
For an Infantryman life was pretty good. Unfortunately, in the next few days all of that would change.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today signed Executive Order 2022-17D to label tianeptine, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, classifying it as having no accepted medical use in treatment and to prohibit its use.
MIKE DEWINE
GOVERNOR
STATE OF OHIO
Executive Order 2022-17D
The Emergency Adoption of Rule 4729:9-1-01.3 of the Ohio Administrative Code by the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy
WHEREAS, tianeptine is an atypical tricyclic antidepressant that is not approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not subject to the same regulatory or medical oversight as other tricyclic antidepressants approved for use in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the FDA issued a consumer update on tianeptine products in February 2022 noting that it has identified cases in which people experienced harmful effects from abusing or misusing tianeptine by itself or with other drugs, including antidepressants and anti-anxiety medicines. These effects included agitation, drowsiness, confusion, sweating, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, slowed or stopped breathing, coma, and death; and
WHEREAS, peer reviewed literature and case reports documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrate that tianeptine toxicity mimicked opioid toxicity and withdrawal due to its strong affinity at the mu-opioid receptors and that naloxone was an effective therapy; and
WHEREAS, tianeptine has a high potential for abuse and can lead to emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and fatal overdoses; and
WHEREAS, case reports have documented neonatal abstinence syndrome mimicking opioid neonatal abstinence syndrome occurring after tianeptine dependence during pregnancy; and
WHEREAS, tianeptine is currently prohibited for use in Michigan, Alabama, Minnesota, Tennessee, Georgia, and Indiana; and
WHEREAS, Section 3719.45 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (State Board of Pharmacy) to add a previously unscheduled compound, mixture, preparation, or substance to schedule I by emergency rule if the Board determines the compound has no accepted medical use in treatment in this state and poses an imminent hazard to the public health, safety, or welfare; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Pharmacy found that tianeptine has no accepted medical use in treatment in this state, has a high potential for abuse, and poses an imminent hazard to the public health, safety, or welfare; and
WHEREAS, Section 119.03(G) of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the Governor, on the request of a State agency, to suspend the normal rule making procedures with respect to specific rules when an emergency exists necessitating the immediate adoption, amendment, or rescission of such rules. When such a determination is made, the agency may immediately adopt, amend, or rescind such rules, but the rules are only valid for one hundred and eighty (180) days; and
WHEREAS, the State Board of Pharmacy has requested a determination whether an emergency exists that requires rule 4729:9-1-01.3 of the Ohio Administrative Code on an emergency basis and that would therefore permit the State Board of Pharmacy, pursuant to Section 3719.45 of the Ohio Revised Code, to immediately adopt this rule.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike DeWine, Governor of the State of Ohio, have determined, upon the request of the State Board of Pharmacy, that an emergency exists requiring the immediate adoption of rule 4729:9-1-01.3 of the Ohio Administrative Code.
Further, I hereby order that the procedures prescribed by Section 119.03 of the Ohio Revised Code with respect to the adoption or amendment of the specified rule be suspended and that the State Board of Pharmacy be permitted to adopt the rule immediately by filing it electronically with the Secretary of State, the Director of the Legislative Service Commission, and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR).
Furthermore, I hereby order that this Executive Order be filed in electronic form with the State Board of Pharmacy, the Secretary of State, the Director of the Legislative Service Commission, and JCARR.
I signed this Executive Order on December 22, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio, and it will expire one hundred and eighty (180) days from the effective date of the emergency rule, or upon the adoption of the rule through the normal JCARR process, whichever is sooner.
Many of us spend the holidays relaxing and sharing in goodwill with friends and family. But some bad actors use the holidays to take advantage of people’s generous spirits. Scammers frequently target the older and other more vulnerable members of our communities. They pretend they are from Social Security or another government agency to steal your money or personal information.
Caller ID, texts, or documents sent by email may look official, but they are not. Fraudsters are calling to verify information about the 2023 cost-of-living adjustment for people who get benefits. Remember, this adjustment is automatic and a beneficiary does not need to verify anything. Social Security won’t ask you to provide information or money to get your benefit increase. Know that how we do business with you doesn’t change because it’s the holidays. We may email or text you about programs and services, but we will never ask for personal information via email or text.
Recognizing the signs of a scam can help you avoid falling victim to one. These scams primarily use the telephone to contact you, but scammers may also use email, text messages, social media, or U.S. mail. Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust. Scammers say there is a problem with your Social Security number or account. Scammers pressure you to act immediately. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.
Know what to look for and be alert. Scammers don’t take days off and neither should you… when it comes to making sure you identify suspicious communications and report it. If you receive a questionable call, text, or email, hang up or don’t respond and report it at oig.ssa.gov/report. Scammers frequently change their methods with new tactics and messages to trick people. We encourage you to stay up to date on the latest news and advisories by following SSA’s Office of the Inspector General on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook or subscribing to receive email alerts.
Former Gallia County 911 dispatcher and administrator at the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department charged federally for 24 arson fires in Wayne National Forest said he started the fires “to give the boys something to do,”
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A fire department administrator and former 911 dispatcher has been charged federally with crimes related to at least 24 arson fires since spring 2022 in Wayne National Forest.
James A. Bartels, 50, of Patriot, Ohio, was arrested yesterday and appeared in federal court in Columbus.
Bartels is an administrator at the Greenfield Township Volunteer Fire Department. He also served as a 911 dispatcher for Gallia County.
According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, Ohio Department of Natural Resources law enforcement officers observed a truck registered to Bartels near Wayne National Forest on Oct. 29, 2022. Bartels was observed on Dry Ridge Road. Within an hour, a fire was reported in the forest near Dry Ridge Road and Cauley Creek Road.
In the days after Bartels’s Nov. 8 resignation from working as a 911 dispatcher for Gallia County, at least 17 fires were lit. Bartels was seen at two separate locations in the vicinity of multiple fire starts within minutes of their ignition.
The affidavit details that in a law enforcement interview, Bartels admitted to starting the fires with a lighter to “give the boys something to do” and to distract himself from depression. He identified 24 arson fires for which he was responsible. His truck’s infotainment system data also placed him at the locations of the fires.
Bartels is schedule for a preliminary hearing in U.S. District Court on Jan. 3, 2023, in Columbus.
Willfully committing arson is a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the U.S. Forest Service announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Hunter is representing the United States in this case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
CINCINNATI – A Miami, Florida, man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for conspiring in a racketeering enterprise to defraud individuals through moving companies located throughout the United States. Identified victims of the fraud lost more than $2.4 million total.
Serghei Verlan, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati today.
The criminal enterprise used a series of moving companies to exploit thousands of people across the country by demanding ransom for the personal possessions those people had entrusted the enterprise to transport.
Verlan was one of 12 defendants indicted in July 2018 and was one of two leaders of the conspiracy. According to court documents, the defendants operated and worked through at least 12 affiliated moving companies to enrich themselves by defrauding customers who hired them to move their household goods.
The enterprise executed their scheme through various moving companies in Florida, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, California, Connecticut, Colorado and Missouri. More than 1,000 customers have been identified as victims.
One of the enterprise’s warehouses was in West Chester, Ohio, and some of the identified victims reside in the Southern District of Ohio.
As part of the conspiracy, the defendants would provide customers with low binding estimates to do their move, promising to beat their competitor’s prices. After the customers agreed to hire the moving companies, employees of the moving companies would load the customers’ goods onto the truck and then the price of the move would be bumped. Co-conspirators would use an inflated cubic footage for the price of moving the customers’ goods.
Verlan was one of the few defendants who knew the “actual” or “real” cubic footage for customers’ goods and instructed workers to charge customers based on the fraudulently inflated price. He told employees to cap the overcharge at 20 percent to keep customer complaints down.
Verlan also paid employees to write fake positive reviews of their various companies to manage their online image. He was also directly responsible for furthering the conspiracy by “reincarnating” affiliated companies into “new” companies controlled by the enterprise through false statements to federal regulators.
Verlan pleaded guilty in August 2022 to participating in the racketeering conspiracy.
The other leader of the conspiracy, Andrey Shuklin, 34, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in May to 78 months in prison.
Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrea M. Knopf, Regional Special Agent-in-Charge, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT); and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney Painter and Matthew C. Singer are representing the United States in this case.
