Grand jury indictments
A Marysville man could be facing more than 240 years in prison after allegedly taking pictures of and digitally manipulating pictures of a child.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Paul E. Oliver, 36, of 121 Northcrest Dr., Marysville, charging him with 17 counts of illegal use of a minor or impaired person in nudity-oriented material or performance, 13 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor or impair person and one count of voyeurism.
Local officials became aware of Oliver in March when an agent with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force contacted them. The agent explained that the software company Adobe contacted ICAC and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after it determined one of its users was in possession of child pornography or child exploitive material.
According to court documents, a subpoena was issued to determine a physical location for the software account. The physical address came back to 121 Northcrest Dr., Marysville and a search warrant was issued for Oliver’s home and electronics.
When investigators searched Oliver’s phone, they found pictures of a 10-year-old child, bent over, posing in a bathroom. Officials at the Ohio State Police computer crime lab found pictures Oliver had allegedly used Adobe to manipulate the pictures which now looked like Oliver was standing behind the child, who was posed over a bed.
Also indicted were:
Joseph Pardee Combs, 42, of 18725 Pottersburg Road, Marysville. Combs is charged with two counts of illegal manufacture of drugs and one count each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities, burglary, aggravated trafficking in drugs, illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and aggravated possession of drugs.
Last month, Combs, along with his mother and four others were charged with running a methamphetamines ring.
Officials said Combs was the one allegedly making the drugs while others were allegedly buying or stealing cold medicine and other things the group needed to make methamphetamines.
On March 4, deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office stopped Combs’ vehicle.
While Combs and the other occupants of the car were being questioned, the special response team, along with detectives with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, Marysville Division of Police and agents with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) executed a search warrant at the home on Pottersburg Road.
Lt. Jeff Stiers with the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement (M.A.D.E.) Task Force said investigators seized, “evidence of a meth lab and ingredients to make meth from the home.”
Prosecutors said Combs was allegedly using a dangerous method of meth production known as “one pot” where all the ingredients are poured into a single pot, then sealed to cause a chemical reaction. The mixture, when exposed to oxygen, can burst into flames.
According to court documents, Combs told investigators he, “had been manufacturing methamphetamine since he was 17 years old.”
He also said he was the only one involved in the operation.
If convicted, Combs could face more than 46 years in prison.
Codefendants Christopher J. Zoeller and Martin Holter, both of Columbus.
According to court documents, on Nov. 15, 2019, Marysville police were called to a local home improvement store. A store employee explained that on two separate occasions, a man eventually identified as Zoeller, went to the store and allegedly stole hundreds of dollars of power tools.
“During both theft offenses, Mr. Zoeller was dropped off by Martin Holter,” according to court documents.
Holter would take Zoeller to the Contractor entrance, then park close to the Contractor entrance, “for a speedy get-a-way” according to court documents.
“Through the course of the investigation, it was learned that the Columbus Police Department has an active case on Mr. Zoeller and Mr. Holter,” according to court documents.
The Columbus cases involve a “high dollar amount” at numerous stores.
Zoeller, 36, is charged with one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and three counts of theft. If convicted, he could face as many as 11 years in prison.
Holter, 47, is charged with one count each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and receiving stolen property and three counts of theft. He could face as many as a dozen years in prison if convicted.
Codefendants Joseph Owusu Asumadu and Samuel Owusu, both 22, both of Newark. Both men are charged with two counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, two counts of theft and one count each of breaking and entering, conspiracy, receiving stolen property and identity fraud.
According to court documents, police were contacted by a cell phone company. The company said they had a fraud case. The company said a new account was set up under a false name. An investigator for the company said two phones were to be delivered to a Marysville home. The investigator provided the information about the account as well as the shipping information for the phones.
Plain clothes detectives from the Marysville Division of Police went to the home where the phones were to be delivered. They watched as a UPS delivery was made.
About 90 minutes later, the detectives watched as a gray Cadillac pulled up to the home.
“A black male exits the passenger front door of the Cadillac and walks to the front door,” according to court documents. “The black male then grabs the UPS packages and then walks back to the gray Cadillac. The Plain Clothes detectives surrounded the black male with the packages and the gray Cadillac.”
According to court documents, Asumadu took the packages while Owusu drove the vehicle and waited.
If convicted, both men could face as many as 25 years in prison.