Man tabbed as major drug offender in indictment

By Joe Gorman

jgorman@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

A grand jury last week tabbed a man arrested by Boardman police as a major drug offender for a large amount of fentanyl found in a Glenwood Avenue home.

Rufus Barnett, 28, of Glenwood Avenue in Boardman, was indicted Thursday by a Mahoning County grand jury on a felony count of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound with major drug offender specifications. Forfeiture specifications are attached to both counts.

The specifications are attached because township officers found at least 100 grams of fentanyl while serving a search warrant Jan. 22 at Barnett’s home as well as $3,430 cash.

Barnett faces an additional charge of obstructing justice.

Arrested at the same home as Barnett and also indicted on a felony count of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, tampering with evidence and permitting drug abuse was Miguel S. Gibbs, 62, of Market Street in Boardman. Officers also served a search warrant at his home Jan. 22.

Township Detective John Gocala said the warrants capped an investigation into drug sales at both places. He said he did not know how long the two had been selling drugs there, although he did say he has dealt with Barnett in the past.

Gocala would not say what led to the investigation.

A report from the search warrant said when officers arrived at the township home, they found Gibbs there, and then Barnett told officers he was also there.

There was white powder on Barnett’s shirt, and when police searched the home, they found white powder and the top of a blender by the toilet as well as a large amount of powder that had settled at the bottom of the toilet bowl.

Reports said that powder was retrieved and tested positive for fentanyl.

Also found during the search warrant was a handgun that was reported stolen from West Virginia, but no charges have been filed for that gun so far.

The warrant was served just three days after Barnett was sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to three years’ probation after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of possession of cocaine.

He will have a probation violation hearing Feb. 21 in that case, according to court records.

In 2012, Barnett pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying concealed weapons and was sentenced to two years’ probation, but he violated his probation and received an 18-month prison sentence in 2013, court records show.