Coshocton County grand jury indicts homeless man on drug trafficking charge

COSHOCTON − A homeless man was recently indicted in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court on drug charges.

Blake D. Powell, 28, was indicted for aggravated trafficking in drugs, a second-degree felony, related to methamphetamine from an incident on May 2. The charge carried specification to forfeit $386 in cash related to the offense and a one-year firearm specification.

He was also charged with having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony, related to a previous felony conviction. The charge carries a specification to forfeit the gun in question, an OMC 380 9 mm Kurz and Keltec 380.

According to the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office, a red Jeep SUV was observed leaving a residence in the village of West Lafayette and a traffic stop was initiated by the West Lafayette Police Department. A K-9 officer made a positive alert and a large amount of suspected methamphetamine was located. Two suspects were taken into custody.

This led to issuing a search warrant on the residence the vehicle left from where more suspected narcotics, several firearms and drug-related items were found. Four suspects were taken into custody.

Powell is the only indictment issued so far from the case.

In another issued indictment, David A. Beckett, 26, of Coshocton, was indicted with burglary, a second-degree felony, related to an incident on May 7.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Homeless man indicted on charge of aggravated trafficking in drugs