CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — In a groundbreaking interview with the Guardian, a drug dealer serving decades behind bars in the Miami Valley area near Dayton has made explosive claims, implicating Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney in a drug dealing scandal.
The man, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity but expressed willingness to testify on the record with state or federal prosecutors, disclosed details about his alleged involvement with Feeney and other high-profile individuals from the Ross County area. The Guardian conducted the exclusive interview, seeking to shed light on long-standing rumors surrounding Feeney’s alleged drug use with cocaine.
The drug dealer revealed that he and Feeney allegedly have a history dating back to meetings at the annex in Yoctangee Park. However, when Feeney became a father and sought the office of Mayor in 2015, a middleman known as “the runner,” with the real first name Gunner, was introduced into their dealings, the man claimed. When asked if “Gunner” was Gunner Barnes, who is an employee and close confidant of Feeney — who is running for city council himself alongside Feeney’s ticket this November — the man could not confirm. The convicted felon emphasized that “Gunner” was not the only one involved, citing the existence of several prominent figures in the illicit activities
The Guardian pressed for insights into Feeney’s street name, “the big guy.” The dealer responded, “He went by the name. Let me tell you, ‘the big guy’ ain’t so big when you see him up close.”
The interview unfolded with revelations of the broader network involved in drug dealings, including allegations of a Judge, a defense lawyer, and Bruce Arnold, now deceased. Arnold, a fellow Democrat like Feeney, died in early 2022 in the middle of having sex with a woman that was not his wife. Arnold — who is the former President of Chillicothe City Council — had viagra in his system, and those close to the case said he had used cocaine, including a claim by the 9-1-1 caller — the female Arnold was fornicating with.
The drug dealer claimed Arnold played a significant role in the drug trade, dating back to operations all the way in 2003, where Arnold allegedly used his store front on Water Street to run cocaine.
The drug dealer squarely placed the blame on Feeney for his incarceration, alleging that Feeney ruined lives, including his own. The mention of legal fees being paid and money being deposited in his prison account abruptly stopping signaled a turning point, leading the man to seek retribution and come forward.
When probed about his motives and plans for redemption, the dealer expressed a desire to change the narrative, stating, “Feeney messed with the wrong player, and now the game’s changing. Let the streets know who ‘the big guy’ really is. I’m telling it all, and he’s just the beginning. They are all going to be outed.”
When asked why people should believe a convicted felon, the man pointed the Guardian to text messages that corroborated his claims. The text messages were shared by the defense lawyer, who, in turn, received them during the discovery process in the man’s criminal case. The evidence, previously undisclosed publicly due to a plea deal, reportedly supports the convicted felon’s assertions about Feeney’s involvement. Messages left with prosecutors seeking why Feeney or others were not charged based off the cellphone content went unanswered.
When asked if he ever bought drugs from the dealer, Feeney did not reply, nor did he grant a request for an interview or provide a statement for this story.
Feeney is up against Republican Julie Preston on November 7 for re-election, who is a retired police officer, as well as Independent Jade Barry, who is a local business owner.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated to remove an inaccurate attribution to the Ross County Coroner. The Guardian regrets the error.