Jurors in the trial of Travon Thomas, 36, of Lima, on Friday returned guilty verdicts on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated funding of drug trafficking, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, trafficking in cocaine and trafficking in heroin.
J Swygart | The Lima News
LIMA — Jurors in the trial of Travon Thomas, charged with running a large-scale narcotics distribution network in Allen County, deliberated for less than an hour Friday before finding the Lima man guilty of all 10 felony charges against him.
Testimony in the week-long trial ended Thursday afternoon and jurors spent Friday listening to closing arguments from attorneys and receiving instructions from Judge Terri Kohlrieser. They began their deliberations shortly before 3 p.m.
Thomas, 36, was charged with first-degree felony counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated funding of drug trafficking, three counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, two counts of trafficking in cocaine, and single counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound and trafficking in heroin. He was also charged with having weapons under disability, a felony of the third degree.
Specifications designating Thomas as a major drug offender were also approved by jurors. He will be sentenced March 22.
Key witnesses for the state provided jurors with first-hand accounts of drug transactions tied directly to Thomas. Sidney Jackson testified that since 2021 she had been “working with (Thomas) in running drugs.” She said her duties included delivering drugs to Thomas’ customers as well as counting fentanyl pills for distribution.
The woman testified that Thomas agreed to pay her $10,000 for a trip to Columbus to repair a pill press and to bring fentanyl pills back to Lima. The payment was never made after Jackson was arrested by investigators upon her return to Lima that same day. She currently faces charges related to the trafficking of drugs but agreed to testify for the state against Thomas. Jackson told jurors she received no “deals or promises” in exchange for her testimony.
Dewayne Wilson-Smith, a confidential informant employed by the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force and Northwest Ohio Safe Streets Task Force to conduct controlled purchases of narcotics from Thomas during April 2021, testified about details of those drug transactions facilitated by Thomas but admitted that he never participated in a “hand-to-hand” exchange of drugs or money with Thomas directly. Wilson-Smith said he did coordinate the transactions by speaking directly with Thomas by telephone.
The informant testified he was given favorable “case consideration” for a possible early release from prison on charges of possession of heroin and the aggravated possession of drugs in exchange for his cooperation. He also received $500 from the task force for participating in the controlled buys.
