Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Two Ashtabula Men Indicted on Illegal Drug and Firearms Charges
Justin. E. Herdman, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that a federal grand jury in Cleveland has returned separate indictments against two men in the Ashtabula area on charges of illegal drug and firearm possession. These are separate cases and are not related.
William Campany, age 35, of Ashtabula was indicted on one count of felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on October 29, 2019, Campany possessed a .40 caliber pistol. Campany is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous sexual battery conviction in 2010 in the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.
Joseph Kelsey, Sr., 45, of Ashtabula, was charged on a three-count indictment with felon in possession of firearms, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to the indictment, on October 9, 2019, Kelsey possessed two semiautomatic pistols and intended to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine. Kelsey is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a previous conviction of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs in 2005 in the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the ATF and Crime Enforcement Agency of Ashtabula County. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
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