Theft Investigation Leads to Heroin and Methamphetamine

Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood reports deputies with the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible theft occurring at Shelly Sand Gravel in Letart Township on December 11, 2014. The report stated two males were loading a piece of pipe with a tractor and left the area heading toward US 33 on State Route 124. Deputies then located the truck driven by William “BJ” Marnhout as it pulled into a residence on State Route 124 Racine. Deputies then made contact with Marnhout who advised the pipe belonged to his grandfather. As deputies spoke with Marnhout the tractor arrived at the same residence which was being driven by Roy Pierce Jr. As deputies continued their investigation the Meigs County K-9 unit was dispatched to the location where a drug sniff was conducted with positive indications on both the truck and tractor. Upon searching the truck deputies located a loaded syringe which was field tested as heroin and also located a white substance on the tractor which field tested for methamphetamine.

Narcotics charges are currently pending against Marnhout and Pierce as deputies await test results from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification.

Marnhout and Pierce are currently incarcerated in the Middleport Jail on unrelated charges.