Recordpub.com - Ravennans arrested for trafficking: Face felony charges for heroin, Oxycontin

By Dave O’Brien

Record-Courier staff writer

Following a two-month-long investigation, the Portage County Drug Task Force arrested two Ravenna men Monday on drug trafficking charges.

Portage County Sheriff David Doak said Robert F. Jones, 47, of 418 King St. and Harley J. Thornton, 33, of 227 King St., were arrested after they allegedly sold the painkiller Oxycontin to an undercover drug task force agent. The task force, assisted by Portage County sheriff’s deputies, subsequently raided Jones’ residence.

Oxycontin is a controlled, Schedule II, high-strength painkiller that is often abused. Task force agents also allegedly purchased heroin at Jones’ residence, which is less than three-tenths of a mile south of Ravenna’s West Main Elementary School.

Jones is charged with aggravated trafficking in drugs, a second-degree felony.

Thornton is charged with complicity to trafficking in drugs, also a second-degree felony.

Arraigned Tuesday in Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna, both men were ordered held on 10 percent of $50,000 bond by Judge Barbara Oswick. Additional charges are pending the presentation of the facts to a Portage County grand jury, Doak said.

Both Jones and Thornton have significant criminal records in Portage County. Jones’ criminal record includes a 2006 conviction for felony theft, for which he received probation, and another 2006 conviction for attempted possession of drugs, for which he was sentenced to 60 days in the Portage County jail, according to court records.

Thornton pleaded guilty in June 2005 to aggravated drug possession and was sentenced by Portage County Common Pleas Judge John Enlow to one year in the Lorain Correctional Institution. That same month, he was sentenced to six months in prison on a separate charge of illegal processing of drug documents, according to court records.

The Portage County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, the Aurora, Garrettsville, Kent and Streetsboro police departments and the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office.

13.	Posted by helloooo May 4, 2010
	I think that would be a good thing. I also think all welfare/ social security people should have to take a drug test. Anyone getting public assistance should have to take the test.but would this be too much like right. harley thorton was released on 25,000 p.r. bail on may 3rd. he's good to go. let's make a deal How they keep getting back out on the streets and in our neighborhoods is beyond me. i have friends in the white house Maybe we do not need a law just a tough judges Maybe we do not need a judges just tough law. I think most of us have seen or heard about the drug use by many county officials,in and out of the court house.For myself,what the hell is taking so long to get some of the GOB's ? This has been going on for years. that why we need law and not judges.

12.	Posted by helloooo May 4, 2010
	I think that would be a good thing. I also think all welfare/ social security people should have to take a drug test. Anyone getting public assistance should have to take the test.but would this be too much like right. harley thorton was released on 25,000 p.r. bail on may 3rd. he's good to go. let's make a deal How they keep getting back out on the streets and in our neighborhoods is beyond me. i have friends in the white house Maybe we do not need a law just a tough judges Maybe we do not need a judges just tough law. I think most of us have seen or heard about the drug use by many county officials,in and out of the court house.For myself,what the hell is taking so long to get some of the GOB's ? This has been going on for years. that why we need law and not judges.

9.	Posted by Integrity May 1, 2010
	I'm happy to see them behind bars, too. I hope they are there for a long time, but I can't help being skeptical when I look at the police records of people like this and learn of the numerous prior convictions. How they keep getting back out on the streets and in our neighborhoods is beyond me. My former husband is addicted to OxyContin. While I know that is the fault of nobody other than him, people like this certainly made it easy for him to enjoy his expensive habit, which would have put me in the poor house if I had not made the decision to give up and divorce him. It is nice to see the numerous arrests over the past couple of years. I hope our law enforcement folks keep up this trend. I also hope the judges hearing these cases realize the disservice they are doing for the community when they issue light sentences for a crime that has a terrible trickle down effect on people other than the addicts.

7.	Posted by Integrity April 30, 2010
	Don't worry - these two will be out on the street and back in business before you know it. I absolutely agree with the idea of mandatory drug testing for anyone receiving public assistance. Imagine how many thousands of dollars would be saved! Isn't it funny how some (but certainly not all) of the public assistance folks claim to be unable to afford health care and food, yet they can afford to buy their street drugs. For those of you who may not know, OxyContin sells for approximately $1 per milligram. So these people are paying up to $80 for one damn pill! And are probably taking more than one pill each day to boot!