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Greenfield man sentenced to 4 years for drug trafficking, tampering with evidence

By
Caitlin Forsha, The Highland County Press

A Greenfield man indicted by a Highland County grand jury in April was sentenced to four years in prison just four weeks later, after pleading guilty to two counts.

As previously reported, Ray Cooper, 29, was charged with trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a second-degree felony; possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a second-degree felony; and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

Cooper pleaded guilty April 30 to the trafficking and tampering with evidence charges, with the possession count dismissed.

A bill of particulars alleges that on or about Feb. 13, 2024, the Highland County Task Force “obtained information that Cooper [was] traveling to Dayton in order to purchase narcotics” and contacted a Greenfield police officer working with the task force. The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle in Greenfield as it came back into the village, and a Greenfield K-9 positively indicated for drugs in the vehicle. 

During the traffic stop, it is alleged that Cooper and an alleged co-defendant gave conflicting information to the officers but allegedly admitted to going to Dayton to buy fentanyl. 

It was determined that Cooper had thrown the drugs out the window, and officers found “a bag containing an unknown substance” on a residential sidewalk in Greenfield in the area described. BCI determined that the baggie contained 13.88 grams of a fentanyl-related compound.

After accepting Cooper’s guilty pleas, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss sentenced him to two years on the first count, consecutive to two years on the second count, for a total minimum of four years in prison. Under the Reagan Tokes Law, Cooper could serve up to five years in prison. He had 76 days of jail time credit.

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