By Frank Lewis
Six people have been indicted on charges of illegal manufacturing of drugs in the presence of children. Heather Gillispie, 22; Ted Johnson, 21; Amanda Wiley, 26; Randy Stevens, 45; Robert Sperry, 26, all of Portsmouth and Tiffany Norris, 27, who is listed as homeless, are all facing two counts of endangering children, illegal manufacture of drugs and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs.
The case reportedly began as a Portsmouth Police Department investigation on Sept. 12 2015 at a residence in the 1500 block of Fourth Street in Portsmouth.
“There were two children present. That’s the allegation,” Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn said. “The officer saw what he thought was suspicious conduct around a vehicle in that neighborhood on Fourth Street. They found three bottles that the officer believed were used in meth manufacturing in a bag underneath the truck. That’s what led them to this address.”
Kuhn said, according to the police report, one of the occupants of the residence gave officers consent to search the home.
“They found some living conditions they didn’t think were safe for the children,” Kuhn said. “Then they found more meth-related chemicals, batteries, containers and that kind of stuff in the residence.”
Kuhn said Scioto County Children Services took custody of the two children at the scene.
“They will be scheduled for a arraignment,” Kuhn said. He said at least one of the cases was headed to the Scioto County Common Pleas courtroom of Judge Howard H. Harcha, III, but it is possible some of the cases would be subject to change.
Kuhn said Gillispie, Johnson, Stevens, Sperry and Norris are all in the Scioto County Jail.
Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.
