Charged with selling his prescription drugs near park

A New Boston man was arrested Friday for selling his prescription drugs to others. And because he was selling within 15 feet of the village park, the charge went up one felony level.

Around 10:40 a.m., the New Boston Police Department served a search warrant at 3656 Gallia St. Apt. C, the residence of 52-year-old Kevin D. Lodwick Sr.

Lodwick was arrested on two counts of trafficking in drugs.

Capt. Steve Goins said they recovered a large quantity of Methadose, a Schedule II drug, and drug paraphernalia, such as snorting straws, scales and rolling papers.

Goins said the drug trafficking charge went from a felony four to a felony three because of the location of Lodwick's apartment.

“There is a stipulation on this that is within the vicinity of a juvenile,” Goins said. “His apartment is only 15 feet from the Village Square Park on West Avenue. There were kids in that park when the trafficking charges were occurring.”

“We don't like when that goes on, people dealing drugs where kids are playing,” he added.

Goins said police are seeing a rise in the use of Methadose and Methadone, drugs that are prescribed to get people off of narcotics.

“Lodwick had a prescription for Methadose but he was selling his pills,” Goins said. “These people may have the prescription, but then they turn around and sell it.”

Lodwick went through processing at the New Boston Police Department and then was taken to the Scioto County jail pending bond and an arraignment in Portsmouth Municipal Court on Monday.

The case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about drug activity in New Boston can call the New Boston Police's drug hotline at (740) 456-4144.

MARK SHAFFER can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 235.