A Chillicothe man has been indicted on felony drug charges following a June traffic stop in Massieville.
According to the Ross County Prosecutor's Office, the incident took place on June 22nd when an Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper observed a vehicle fail to stop for a stop sign while making a turn from Toad Hollow Road onto Massieville Road. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with the unidentified female driver and front seat passenger, Ralph C. Payne, 35.
The trooper noticed the couple was acting nervously and avoiding eye contact. Upon further questioning, Payne informed the officer there were drugs inside the vehicle. Payne then provided the officer a bag containing 11.7 grams of cocaine and 19 oxycodone pills.
Payne was indicted Friday by the Ross County Grand Jury. He is charged with third-degree felony possession of cocaine and fifth-degree felony aggravated possession of drugs.
In total, the prosecutor’s office presented 20 cases to the Ross County Grand Jury on Friday. All 20 cases resulted in true bill indictments with only Payne's case open to the public.