PORTSMOUTH — On April 22, 2022, Rockie Johnson, of Portsmouth Ohio was sentenced to 10 to 13 years in prison for his convictions for narcotics-related charges arising from an investigation and subsequent search warrant on January 14, 2022 by the Southern Ohio Organized and Major Crimes Taskforce with the assistance of the Portsmouth Ohio Police SWAT Team.

The investigation by the Major Crimes Taskforce revealed that Johnson and an accomplice were receiving drugs from individuals located outside the area and reselling the drugs to various addicts in the community.Upon execution of the search warrant, significant amounts of narcotics and evidence were seized, as well as proceeds derived from the sale of illegal narcotics.

Johnson pled guilty to Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs; Trafficking in a Fentanyl-Related Compound and Having a Weapon Under Disability. The Honorable Judge Mark E. Kuhn sentenced Johnson to 10 to 13 years in prison.

The State was represented by Prosecuting Attorney Shane A. Tieman. Johnson was represented by Attorney Christine Scott.

The Southern Ohio Organized and Major Crimes Taskforce is part of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission. It is comprised of officers from the Scioto and Pike County Sheriff Offices, the Portsmouth Police Department and the New Boston Police Department. It is further supported by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and the Pike, Lawrence and Scioto County Prosecutor Offices.