MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Larry Lewis, 48, of Marion, was found guilty by a Marion County Jury of several counts of drug trafficking and having weapons under disability. The charges included:
Trafficking in a Fentanyl Related Compound, F1
Possession of a Fentanyl Related Compound, F1
Trafficking in Cocaine, F1
Possession of Cocaine, F1
Having Weapons While Under Disability, F3
Lewis was sentenced by Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge Matthew Frericks. For Count 3, Trafficking in Cocaine, F1, Lewis received an indefinite prison sentence, consisting of a minimum term of 11 years and a maximum indefinite term of up to 16 1/2 years. For Count 5, Having Weapons While Under Disability, F3, he was sentenced to a term of 36 months in prison. The sentences will run consecutively, resulting in a total of 25-30 years in prison.
In a comment issued by Prosecutor Grogan, he told the community: “This sentence sends the same message that we have been sending for years now – we will not tolerate those who sell this poison in our community. Larry Lewis had enough fentanyl to kill nearly 20,000 people, and our community is safer now with him serving a quarter century in prison.”
In a case related to the Lewis conviction, the MARMET Drug Taskforce executed a critical search warrant at the Lewis residence. During the operation, Larry Lewis and Richa Markley were apprehended in an upstairs bedroom where investigators discovered substantial quantities of illegal substances and a firearm. The search yielded 38.69 grams of fentanyl, 45.32 grams of cocaine, $7,562 in cash, and a KBI SMC918 semi-automatic 9mm handgun.
Richa Markley, 38, of Marion, pleaded guilty in August and was sentenced to 8–12 years in prison.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office continues to work closely with local and regional law enforcement agencies, including the Marion Police Department and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, to dismantle drug trafficking networks and reduce the availability of illegal drugs in the community.