A man who was arrested as allegedly one of the major drug dealers in the region will spend the next 15 years behind bars.

Scioto County Court of Common Pleas Judge Howard H. Harcha III Monday sentenced Donald Lee Ulmer, of Detroit, Michigan, to 15 years for possession and trafficking in oxycodone.

Ulmer entered a plea of no contest to an indictment charging him in connection with the one of the largest oxycodone seizures in Scioto County history.

According to the court, the drugs had a street value of over $80,000.

Ulmer was indicted for possession and trafficking of 1059 oxycodone tablets after narcotics officers of the Portsmouth Police Department received information that he was allegedly delivering the drugs to various locations in Portsmouth and Huntington, WVA.

On Nov. 4, 2008, officers recorded a conversation in which Ulmer allegedly made arrangements to deliver oxycodone to Portsmouth, according to reports.

Officers conducted surveillance and observed Ulmer drive through Lucasville on his way to Portsmouth, then staked out the location of the alleged delivery. When the person who was to receive the drugs got into Ulmer's car, the police closed in and arrested Ulmer.

The drugs were allegedly found in several packages hidden in the headliner of the car.

Oxycodone is sold under the brand name Oxycontin.

“The investigation showed that Ulmer delivered drugs to the Portsmouth-Huntington area from Detroit twice a week for over a year,” said Assistant Scioto County Prosecuting Attorney Julie Hutchinson. “Portsmouth, Huntington and this entire area are being flooded with pills coming from Detroit.”

Ulmer has prior felony drug convictions in Michigan. He has been in the Scioto County Jail since his arrest.

The case was prosecuted by Hutchinson and Pat Apel. Ulmer was represented by attorneys Marvin Barnett of Detroit and Rick Nash of Portsmouth.

Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101 Ext. 232.