Highland County man gets 11-year minimum prison sentence in case involving ‘humongous amount of fentanyl’

A Highland County man was sentenced Monday to at least 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to a first-degree felony drug trafficking charge.

As previously reported, Daryl Bumgarner Jr., 34, was indicted by a Highland County grand jury May 2 and charged with two counts of aggravated trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, both first-degree felonies; two counts of aggravated possession of a fentanyl-related compound, both first-degree felonies; having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony; and two forfeiture specifications.

Bumgarner pleaded guilty Monday to one first-degree felony count of aggravated trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, along with both forfeiture specifications. The remaining five charges were dismissed.

The Greenfield Police Department earlier reported that Bumgarner was placed under a $1 million bond after a search warrant was executed at a residence on McKell Avenue in Greenfield in March.

According to a bill of particulars, a Greenfield police officer found “two cellophane baggies containing suspected narcotics,” as well as $5,823 in U.S. currency, in a vehicle occupied by Bumgarner March 28 when executing the search warrant. The drugs were later determined to be 55.3 grams of a fentanyl-related compound. During the investigation, Bumgarner allegedly told officers that “he sells fentanyl” out of the Greenfield home.

Subject to forfeiture were the $5,823 U.S. currency; the vehicle used by Bumgarner; $9,468.10 found at Bumgarner’s home during a separate incident with law enforcement in January 2022; and three weapons, according to the indictment.

According to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, the first-degree felony drug trafficking charge carried a mandatory sentence of 11 years in prison.

“I understand that [Bumgarner] is not happy that the state didn’t reduce this charge,” Collins told Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss prior to sentencing. “We are talking 553 doses of fentanyl in the two ounces that he had in his vehicle. That is a lot of a fentanyl and the most that we have seen from one person in this county.”

Collins added that she and Highland County Task Force Investigator Randy Sanders felt strongly that the 11-year sentence was appropriate.

“This is the precedent we hope to set,” she said.

Coss asked Bumgarner if he wanted to say anything prior to being sentenced.

“Not much I can say, sir,” Bumgarner said.

“Well, that’s true,” Coss said. “Me, either, but I understand why the state took the position they did. Certainly, this is a humongous amount of fentanyl for Highland County, and it’s a very dangerous drug. We see people dying from it all the time, not just here, but all over the state, all over the country.”

Judge Coss imposed the mandatory 11-year sentence, explaining that under the Reagan Tokes Law, Bumgarner could serve up to 16.5 years in prison. Bumgarner had 69 days of jail time credit.