Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury has charged four Franklin County men in a 13-count indictment alleging that they conspired to distribute heroin and sell guns illegally.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Trevor Velinor, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the charges.

The indictment charges three men who live on the west side of Columbus, Christopher L. McElroy, 19, Lamarco T. Brown, 18, Nathan G. Nixon, aka “Fat Boy,” 20 and a Grove City man, Robert A. Petty, 31, with conspiracy to unlawfully sell firearms, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The indictment charges three of the defendants, McElroy, Brown and Nixon, with conspiracy to distribute heroin, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The indictment accuses them of other crimes, including illegal distribution of heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin, unlawful sales of firearms and unlawful possession of firearms.

McElroy was arrested on February 12 and is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. The other defendants are at large.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the ATF and Columbus Police, and Assistant United States Attorney David J. Bosley, who is prosecuting the case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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