Two high-level Ohio drug offenders receive lengthy prison sentences

GUERNSEY COUNT, Ohio — The Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office announced the lengthy sentencing of two Ohio men for their high-level drug-related crimes in Guernsey County from two separate drug investigations.

According to Sheriff Jeffrey Paden, on May 9, Scott A. Buckius Sr. of Cambridge, Ohio, was sentenced to 12-14 years in jail for two cases merged for sentencing purposes.

Paden says one of the drug cases was an investigation from the Cambridge Police Department (CPD) where Buckius Sr. was found guilty by jury trial for tampering with evidence and possession of a fentanyl-related compound.

According to Paden, that investigation stemmed from an encounter with Buckius Sr. on June 15, 2023, by a CPD Officer who arrested Buckius Sr. and seized a large amount of fentanyl.

The second case against Buckius Sr. was from an in-depth investigation by the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office/ Central Ohio Drug Task Force Investigators.

On February 1, investigators learned that Buckius Sr. had been traveling to the Columbus area to obtain a large amount of drugs and had an active arrest warrant for his prior crimes in Cambridge.

According to Paden, Buckius was identified by undercover investigators in the late afternoon/ early evening of February 1 in a vehicle traveling back to Guernsey County from Columbus. Buckius was arrested for his felony warrant during a traffic stop at that time. Investigators also found a large amount of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Investigators say the drugs were being brought into Guernsey County to be sold throughout the county.

Paden says during the investigation that led to the arrest, Buckius was confirmed to be a known, high-level drug dealer in Guernsey County who was supplying several local drug dealers who sold for him in the area.

On May 9, Buckius Sr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced for charges of aggravated trafficking in drugs, tampering with evidence, and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.

Paden says that the aggressive actions of investigators involved in the case in combatting drug crimes in this area, along with the follow-up reports/investigation, are in large part a reason for the high sentence involving Buckius Sr.

In a separate and unrelated case conducted by investigators with the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office, on May 13, William David “Butch” Church Jr., 53, of Byesville, Ohio, was sentenced to 12-16 years in jail.

According to Paden, Church’s sentence was from an investigation and arrest in mid-2023, which led to Church Jr. pleading guilty to charges of aggravated possession of drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound.

On June 5, a Detective with the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office stopped Church during a traffic stop, in which the Detective found over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl in the vehicle.

Sheriff Paden also added, “One at a time, my team will continue to pick each and every single one of you drug dealers off who continue to push this poison through our county.”

(Video in the story shows the top stories for Thursday, May 16, 2024)

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