Three in Custody for Alleged ”Large Quantity of Crystal Methamphetamine”
Three in Custody for Alleged ”Large Quantity of Crystal Methamphetamine”
POMEROY, Ohio – Three people are in custody following an multi-agency interdiction operation for alleged drug activity.
According to Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood on Wednesday, June 29, 2022 the Southeast Major Crimes Task Force along with officers from the Middleport Police Department and deputies with the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office conducted an interdiction operation near the Meigs and Gallia County line along State Route 7. Agents with the Major Crimes Task Force received information regarding three individuals that were allegedly traveling to Dayton, Ohio from Middleport to pick up a large quantity of crystal methamphetamine.
Upon receiving the information Task Force Agents were able to locate the vehicle as it was entering Meigs County. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle by Sheriff’s Deputies and Middleport Officers near the intersection of State Route 7 and Story’s Run Road in Middleport. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Tanyelle S. Estep, 44, of Huntington, West Virginia. It was discovered that Estep did not have a valid drivers license. A consent to search was granted by Estep for the vehicle according to law enforcement. The passenger of the vehicle was removed and identified as Brian Estep, 55, of Peterstown, West Virginia along with the rear passenger who was identified as Michael R. Taylor, 37, of Dayton, Ohio.
Taylor was found to have a reported small amount of marijuana on his person and was detained at this time. Officers and Task Force Agents conducted a search of the vehicle and located a small cardboard box hidden inside of a compartment under the hood of the vehicle. Inside of the box officers located two bags which reportedly contained approximately half of a pound of crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Michael Taylor, Tanyelle Estep, and Brian Estep were all incarcerated at the Middleport Jail on the following charges for: Possession of Methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree; Trafficking in Methamphetamine, a felony of the first degree; Possession of a schedule II controlled substance (fentanyl), a felony of the first degree; Trafficking in a schedule II controlled substance (fentanyl), a felony of the first degree.
The Southeast Major Crimes Task Force is part of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission and is comprised of representatives of the Washington, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Meigs, and Athens County Sheriff’s Offices; the Marietta, Belpre, Middleport, McConnelsville, Nelsonville, and Glouster Police Departments; the Washington, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Meigs, and Athens County Prosecutor’s Offices; and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
