James William Kerns Jr., 53, of 7711 Old Gallia Pike in Franklin Furnace was arrested on an indictment warrant issued by the Scioto County Common Pleas Court regarding four counts of receiving stolen property, felonies of the fourth and fifth degrees, and trafficking in drugs, a felony of the fourth degree.
“We’ve had a lengthy investigation going for quite some time,” Scioto County Sheriff’s Captain David Hall said. “Those charges are from a grand jury indictment where we presented cases to the grand jury several weeks ago.”
Hall said the investigation had continued after the indictments, “because the reports we had were that he was (allegedly) still taking stolen property and trading it for drugs,” Hall said. “We have bought prescription pills from that residence (7711 Old Gallia Pike, Franklin Furnace) undercover also.”
Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini said at approximately 12:40 p.m. Tuesday, detectives from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Investigations units executed a search warrant at Kerns’ residence.
Donini said that is when officers seized the firearms and cash.
Kerns was placed in the Scioto County Jail
“He is in jail on no bond,” Hall said. “The next step is for him to be arraigned in mid-March.”
Donini said a case against Kerns will be forwarded to the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office to be presented to a Scioto County Grand Jury for the consideration of additional criminal charges.
“We would like to thank the public, and ask them to keep calling,” Hall said. “Because their phone calls and their information point us in the right direction many times.”
Donini said anyone wishing to leave drug information may call the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit at (740) 351-1094, or e-mail drugs@sciotocountysheriff.com All information will be kept confidential and anonymous.
Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.
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