The number of overdose deaths each year continues to steadily increase in Muskingum County with area law enforcement agencies working diligently to place those supplying the life-altering narcotics behind bars.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, it was announced that several individuals have been indicted on a wide range of criminal charges from three recent deaths caused by illegally supplied drugs.

If convicted, all face lengthy prison terms, which include mandatory minimums, that will serve as a warning to drug dealers that should they chose to continue their illegal activity, they will be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

During his tenure as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, David DeVillers often cited the ever-increasing number of not just overdoses, but deaths caused by the illegal drugs and their tremendously negative effect on the various counties he oversaw.

Muskingum County, one of those such counties, has not been spared from those statistics, with Sheriff Matt Lutz saying that on average, there are roughly one to three overdose deaths every week.

If it wasn’t for life-saving medicine such as Narcan, Lutz added that the death count could be much higher, with the county responding to roughly a dozen calls a week for someone who is overdosing on an illegal narcotic.

Both Zanesville Police Chief Tony Coury and Lutz said that the string of indictments would not be possible without the diligent work of law enforcement, including everyone from road deputies to detectives, and the work of the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office.

The investigation spanned numerous officerhours and involved the collaboration of multiple area agencies.

Most of those indicted have first-degree felony charges against them ranging from involuntary manslaughter to the trafficking of drugs.

Against common perception, detectives say that most local overdose cases are not the result of a drug dealer secretly mixing Fentanyl with other drugs, but that addicts are actively seeking out the highly addictive and potent synthetic opioid.

The investigation was able to lead to criminal charges in part due to the fact that individuals who knew the victims were willing to help provide any information they may have had, something that isn’t always the case in drug overdose cases.

Citing his time as the Cheif of South Zanesville, Lutz recalled a saying that was along all of the village’s police cruisers, ‘if you see something, say something.’

The Sheriff emphasized that it’s often those tips that either directly leads to convictions or indirectly help supply information that along with other law enforcement techniques helps prosecute criminals infecting the local community.

“I can assure you if someone calls me, I’ll make an anonymous tip to our drug unit,” said Lutz. “And if someone gives us information and gets threatened, they will get put in jail.”

Speaking from decades of experience, Lutz added that often drug dealers act all ‘big and bad’ on the street but that once incarcerated they lose their connections and influence to the outside world.

Referencing the recent homicide in downtown Zanesville, Coury said that law enforcement is here to fight for victims in the community and be a voice for those who have lost their lives.

“They don’t have a right to take a life,” Coury added. “We are not like other counties, they are going to go to jail for a very very long time.”

The following individuals have been indicted by a Muskingum County grand jury for their part in multiple recent overdose deaths:

Trevor Hinkle: 27-years-old from Crooksville, Ohio. Indicted on two counts of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, three counts of corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony, two counts of trafficking in Fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony, one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, one count of theft of a dangerous drug, a fourth-degree felony, and one count of illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility, a third-degree felony.

Frank Bettinger Jr: 44-years old from Zanesville, Ohio. Indicted on one count of trafficking in Methamphetamines, a third-degree felony, one count of possession of Fentanyl, a first-degree felony, one count of possession of Methamphetamines, a fifth-degree felony, and one count of permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony.

Morgan Bateman: 26-years-old from Crooksville, Ohio. Indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, one count of corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony, and one count of trafficking in drugs, a fifth-degree felony.

Kevin “Ock” May: 31-years-old from Columbus, Ohio. Indicted on one count of trafficking Fentanyl, a fourth-degree felony, one count of possession of Fentanyl, a first-degree felony, and two counts of having a weapon under disability, a third-degree felony.

Andrea Falcon: 25-years-old from Zanesville, Ohio. Indicted on one count of possession of Fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony, one count of trafficking Fentanyl, a first-degree felony, one count of possession of Fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony, two counts of child endangerment, a first-degree misdemeanor, and one count of permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony.