PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – A Scioto County couple has been sentenced to lengthy prison terms after being convicted of housing and aiding out-of-town drug dealers. Johnny Dale Fitzpatrick, 51, and Brandi Angelique Bevins, 42, both of Portsmouth, were sentenced after a two-day jury trial in the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas concluded on September 17, 2024.
Fitzpatrick was convicted on all nine felony counts related to drug trafficking and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Bevins was found guilty on eight out of the nine charges and received a 15-year sentence. Both sentences are mandatory, as Judge Mark Kuhn weighed the defendants’ criminal histories and sentencing guidelines before announcing the verdict on September 26, 2024.
The investigation into Fitzpatrick and Bevins began when the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force, with the assistance of the Portsmouth Police Department, executed a search warrant at their residence on Campbell Avenue in Portsmouth on September 14, 2023. Authorities discovered Fitzpatrick and Bevins in the home along with two Dayton residents, Michael Anthony Lewis and Tony Walker, both of whom were involved in drug trafficking.
During the raid, officers found Fitzpatrick covered in suspected drug residue and evidence that the suspects had tried to destroy incriminating materials just before the search. Investigators determined that Fitzpatrick and Bevins had been allowing drug dealers to use their home for trafficking controlled substances for an extended period before the raid.
Fitzpatrick continued engaging in criminal behavior even after being indicted, resulting in additional felony charges. Bevins also violated her bond before trial by committing further offenses. Lewis and Walker, who had pled guilty earlier, are currently serving prison sentences.
The prosecution, led by chief assistant prosecutor Julie Hutchinson and assistant prosecutor Matthew Loesch, praised the efforts of local law enforcement. Scioto County prosecutor Shane Tieman emphasized that law enforcement would continue to pursue not only drug dealers but also individuals who assist them. “We will not remove these individuals from the pool of prosecution nor will we minimize their responsibility,” Tieman said.
Tieman encouraged anyone involved in aiding drug dealers to reconsider their actions, pointing to the lengthy sentences handed down in this case as a warning.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts by local authorities to combat drug trafficking in Portsmouth and hold all parties accountable for their roles in perpetuating the drug epidemic.