U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker | U.S. Department of Justice
A former Columbus police officer, Joel M. Mefford, has been sentenced to 50 months in federal prison for crimes involving cocaine theft and money laundering. The sentencing took place in a federal court in Columbus, Ohio.
Mefford, aged 35 and from London, Ohio, was involved in drug crime investigations as part of his duties with the Columbus police. Between February and April 2020, he collaborated with another officer to steal and distribute cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commented on the case: "Crimes like those that Mefford committed undermine the integrity of the criminal justice system. Mefford abused his official position for personal gain." He emphasized that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offenses and serves as a reminder that corrupt public servants will face consequences.
Court documents reveal that in February 2020, Mefford and an accomplice unlawfully accessed a garage during a drug investigation without a warrant. They seized one kilogram of cocaine from two kilograms found there, leaving one for discovery during a warranted search later. The stolen narcotics were given to another individual for sale.
Further incidents occurred in March 2020 at locations on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue in Columbus. The officers removed multiple kilograms of cocaine from these sites, turning in some to evidence while selling others.
In April 2020, they stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the police property room, replacing it with fake substances. The stolen drugs were transported using a police cruiser before being sold by another individual who shared proceeds with Mefford.
Mefford reportedly received around $130,000 from these sales and deposited over $72,000 into his bank account.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023 and pleaded guilty in August 2024 to charges including possession with intent to distribute large quantities of cocaine and money laundering.
The sentence was announced by Kenneth L. Parker alongside Elena Iatarola from the FBI's Cincinnati Division after U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.'s ruling.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are handling the prosecution for this case.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force with support from various state agencies including the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Columbus Division of Police.
