SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio — Israel Lee Crumpton, a 29-year-old man from Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 24-29 years in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections on last week following a three-day jury trial in front of Judge Mark Kuhn at the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas.
Crumpton was initially charged with a fourteen-count indictment in August 2021, which included four Major Drug Offender level counts. Twelve of the original fourteen counts were presented to the jury at trial. Following approximately three hours of deliberations, the jury convicted Mr. Crumpton of all twelve counts, including the four Major Drug Offender charges.
On August 2, 2021, troopers with the Ohio Highway Patrol stopped a rental vehicle traveling south on US 23 in which Israel Lee Crumpton was the front seat passenger. Following a probable cause search of the vehicle, a large number of drugs, primarily consisting of Fentanyl and Heroin, were discovered in the trunk. Also found were Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Oxycodone, Marijuana, and Amphetamine tablets. The drugs in this case had an estimated value in excess of $65,000. Evidence received at trial indicated that the drugs were bound for Southeast Ohio where they were to be later distributed/sold.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Julie Cooke-Hutchinson and Assistant Prosecutor Matt Loesch presented the case on behalf of the State of Ohio, while Mr. Crumpton was represented by Columbus, Ohio attorney W. Jeffrey Moore.
Scioto County Prosecutor Shane Tieman extended thanks to the Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers, the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, and Portsmouth Police Department for their assistance in this case.
“The efforts by law enforcement in this case prevented a vast amount of incredibly dangerous narcotics from reaching the streets of Southern Ohio and its importance cannot be overstated. These narcotics are nothing less than weapons of mass destruction, ruining the lives of our citizens on a daily basis,” said Tieman.
Crumpton’s sentence comes as a reminder of the state’s strict stance against drug trafficking and its commitment to combatting criminal activity on its roads.