Last member of heroin ring sentenced

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The last man authorities say was involved in a Dayton heroin ring has been sentenced to seven years, 11 months in prison. Robert C. Woods, Jr., 27, was convicted in a Pattern of Corrupt Activities, Ohio’s version of the federal Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) act.

Woods was the last of five defendants to plead guilty to the August, 1, 2013 heroin seizure at Shawnee State Park. Phillip Hanson-Bass, 27, Ryan T. Starks, 25 and Brittney Sadler, 28, all of Dayton and Sasha M. Woods, 32, of Portsmouth (no relation to Robert Woods), were indicted on Dec. 20, 2013, along with Robert Woods, by the Scioto County grand jury on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities, conspiracy to traffic in heroin, firearms violations and trafficking in heroin.

According to information presented to the court by the Scioto County Prosecutor’s office, the heroin was discovered Aug. 1, 2013 when the housecleaning crew entered a cabin after checkout time and found over 500 grams of heroin, a variety of pills and over $11,000 in cash in plastic bags on the bed. Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) park rangers and Southern Ohio Drug Task Force officers seized the drugs and the cash and waited for the occupants to return to the cabin.

That evening Hanson-Bass, Robert Woods and Brittney Sadler were apprehended as they returned to the cabin area. later in the evening, Sasha Woods and Ryan Starks were arrested in Adams County by park rangers, task force members and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office after a high speed chase on Ohio 125 reaching speeds of 90 miles per hour.

“The evidence in this case indicated that this was an established heroin ring smuggling heroin from Dayton to Portsmouth on a regular basis,” Assistant Scioto County Prosecutor pat Apel said. “All the defentants except one were Dayton residents. According to the statements given by the defendants, the drugs were often delivered to a cabin at Shawnee State Park or another state park for cutting, bagging and distribution.”

Court records indicate Starks was sentenced to 1o years, Woods to five year, Sadler to five years, Hanson-Bass was captured in Atlanta, extradited to Ohio and received a nine year sentence. Robert Woods was captured in Miami, Florida and extradited to Ohio for trial, where he was sentenced by Scioto County Common Pleas Judge William T. Marshall.

By Frank Lewis

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Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

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