COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joel M. Mefford, a former Columbus police officer, pleaded guilty in federal court today to multiple charges involving cocaine trafficking and money laundering.
Mefford, 35, from London, Ohio, admitted to possessing with intent to distribute over 10 kilograms of cocaine and laundering drug money. His guilty plea includes two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more, and one count of money laundering.
Court documents reveal that between February and April 2020, Mefford, while working as a police officer, conspired with another officer to steal and traffic cocaine. During an investigation in February 2020, Mefford unlawfully entered a suspect’s garage and seized one kilogram of cocaine from a stash, leaving another kilogram to be discovered later during a search warrant. The stolen cocaine was later distributed by the accomplice.
Further incidents in February and March 2020 involved Mefford and his co-officer seizing multiple kilograms of cocaine from residences on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue. On March 7, 2020, they took a bag of cocaine from Ambleside Drive and a kilogram from Kilbourne Avenue. While Mefford turned in one kilogram to evidence, the rest was stolen and sold.
In April 2020, Mefford and the accomplice stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the police property room, replacing the drugs with fake substances. Mefford transported the stolen cocaine using a police cruiser, and the drugs were later sold. Mefford received around $130,000 from the cocaine sales, with over $72,000 deposited into his personal bank account.
Sentencing for Mefford will be determined at a later date, with possible penalties ranging from 5 years to life in prison for drug distribution charges, and up to 10 years for money laundering.
