Greenfield woman sentenced to 8 years in prison in Highland County Task Force case

A Greenfield woman indicted on 26 counts in February was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and drug trafficking.

Tara Ralph, 50, was indicted in February as one of 19 Highland County Task Force cases considered by a Highland County grand jury. She was initially charged with:

• Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; 

• 12 counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, one first-degree, two third-degree, eight fourth-degree and one fifth-degree felonies; 

• Seven counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, one first-degree felony, one third-degree felony and five fourth-degree felonies;

• Four counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound in the vicinity of a juvenile, two second-degree and two third-degree felonies;

• One count of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound in the vicinity of a school zone, a fourth-degree felony; and 

• One count of aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a fourth-degree felony.

Ralph pleaded guilty April 3 to engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony, and two counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound in the vicinity of a juvenile, one second-degree and one third-degree felony. 

It is alleged that between April and August 2023, in Highland County “and as as continuing course of criminal conduct in Fayette County and Montgomery County,” Ralph “did recklessly … conduct or participate in the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of corrupt activity.”

For the second-degree felony charge, it is alleged that on or about June 2, Ralph and a confidential informant (CI) working with the task force met at a Greenfield business parking lot, where Ralph sold a bag of drugs and “advised she would return” later with more drugs. 

Later, the two met in the parking lot of a different Greenfield business, where Ralph allegedly provided the reminder of the drugs requested. On both occasions, it was alleged that a child was present in Ralph’s vehicle, with the child allegedly having “the bag of substance” at the time of the second meetup. The two bags were determined to contain 6.37 grams of a fentanyl-related compound.

The bill of particulars alleges for the third-degree felony charge that on or about July 5, Ralph sold 1.04 grams of a fentanyl-related compound to a CI in Greenfield. During that exchange, it is alleged that Ralph accepted the money and that a juvenile “handed” the drugs to the CI.

The remaining 23 charges in the indictment were dismissed.

“This is a really big operation,” Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Ralph. “Twenty-six counts is quite a few for one person. 

“Your record shows three prior felony convictions, and 12 transactions [with the Task Force]. With the amount of money involved, that’s not a small amount.”   

Coss sentenced Ralph to a three years on the engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity charge, consecutive to four years on the second-degree felony trafficking charge and 12 months on the third-degree felony trafficking charge, for a total minimum sentence of eight years in prison. Under the Reagan Tokes Law, she could serve up to 10 years in prison. She had 61 days of jail time credit.

Ralph was additionally ordered to pay $3,140 in restitution to the Highland County Task Force.

Ralph’s indictment and arrest came as part of “Operation Fetty Stop,” which is the ongoing work of the Highland County Task Force and all county law enforcement agencies to stop the trafficking and use of fentanyl in Highland County. 

The February indictments resulted in the arrests of individuals in the Hillsboro, Greenfield and Rocky Fork Lake areas. Highland County Task Force, Highland County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsboro Police Department and Greenfield Police Department officers assisted in an arrest roundup Feb. 5 (held the day before the grand jury session).

The Highland County Task Force has a Facebook page and takes anonymous and confidential tips regarding substance abuse and trafficking in Highland County. You can also provide information directly to a member of the Task Force by calling the Highland County Prosecutor’s Office at (937) 393-1851.  

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