Three Taken into Custody Following Discovery of Alleged Drugs

MIDDLEPORT, Ohio – Suspected crystal methamphetamine discovered during traffic stop.

According to Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood, on Friday, April 20th, 2018 deputies with his office worked an interdiction operation in conjunction with the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force in Meigs County. As part of that operation, Deputy Campbell initiated a traffic stop on a 2006 Toyota SUV on South Third Avenue in Middleport. Deputy Campbell conducted a consent search on the vehicle and located approximately 1-2 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

Meredith C. Johnson, 33, of Middleport; Floyd D. Riffle, 56, of Middleport; and Gabriel M. Smith, 39, of Columbus, were transported to the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and the case was turned over to the Gallia-Meigs Major Crimes Task Force for further investigation.

The Task Force will consult with Meigs County Prosecutor James K. Stanley on charges and the case will be presented to a Meigs County Grand Jury. The Middleport Police Department also assisted in the traffic stop.

The Major Crimes Task Force of Gallia-Meigs is a state task force under the jurisdiction the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, which is part of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The task force was formed in September 2013 and consists of the Meigs and Gallia County Sheriff’s Offices, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Middleport Police Department, the Gallipolis Police Department and both the Meigs and Gallia County Prosecutor’s Offices.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.