Two sentenced in Athens County's largest drug bust

ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Two men face a combined 40 years in prison after being sentenced in the largest drug case in Athens County history.

Jeremiah Deundra Fuller, 26, of Detroit, and Javahri Emanuel Portis, 26, of Athens, were each given up to 20 years in prison on Thursday; ten of those years are mandatory.

The men changed their pleas to guilty on 28 charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine, and having a weapon under disability.

According to Athens County prosecutor Keller J. Blackburn, the county's sheriff's office began investigating the men in 2023, which turned up nine known drug sales totaling more than four ounces of fentanyl and two ounces of methamphetamine, which Blackburn said was being sold for distribution in Athens, Fairfield, Meigs, and Morgan counties.

Both Fuller and Portis were arrested in August 2023, which is when deputies allegedly found two ounces of fentanyl and one ounce of cocaine in the men's possession.

During a sentencing hearing last week, Fuller and Portis both expressed remorse for their actions and apologized to their families and the community. Both said once they complete their sentences, they intend to help people seeking drug and/or alcohol use or mental health treatment.