Buchtel police chief arrested on drug charges

A police chief from a village in northern Athens County was jailed Wednesday afternoon following an arrest for buying prescription drugs illegally, according to a report from Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly.

In a news release, Kelly reported that at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies with the Narcotics Enforcement Team (N.E.T.) arrested Buchtel Police Chief Kelsey Lanning "after the N.E.T. conducted a controlled transaction of prescription pills involving Lanning at his 432 Fairview Ave. home in Nelsonville.

The sheriff said his deputies executed a search warrant on Lanning's residence after someone provided information to the Sheriff's Office, "and a controlled transaction was set in motion."

Lanning is accused of purchasing prescribed pills from an individual working with the sheriff's narcotics team. Lanning was not working in the capacity as a law enforcement officer when he allegedly purchased the prescribed medication, according to the report.

Sheriff Kelly also seized the evidence room operated and under control of the Buchtel Police Department, the report said.

The report added that Kelly has assured Buchtel Mayor John L. Sullivan that the village will have protection from the sheriff's office.

Lanning has been charged with possession of an illegal narcotic, and additional charges will be presented to the grand jury, the sheriff said in the report.

At the time of the report, late Wednesday afternoon, Lanning was lodged in the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail and was scheduled to appear in court via video Thursday morning.

On Thursday, Lanning made his initial appearance in court by video hookup. Assistant county prosecutor Rob Driscoll asked Judge William A. Grim to set bond at $50,000, with no 10 percent payment allowed.

"Mr. Lanning is a law enforcement officer, and he has been accused of permitting drug abuse on his premises," Driscoll told the judge, arguing that as a police officer, Lanning "should be held to a higher standard" than other defendants.

Lanning responded, "I think $50,000 is a ridiculous amount," telling Grim that he is financially supporting an aged grandparent.

The judge granted Driscoll the $50,000 bond, but also allowed Lanning to  post 10 percent to get out of jail. If Lanning is released, Grim said, he must be a law-abiding citizen, have no use of firearms, and not leave Athens County without the court's permission.

Also arrested at the Fairview Avenue residence, according to the sheriff's report, was Lanning's girlfriend, Jessica Willison, 29, same address, also for possession of illegal drugs. Additional charges will be presented to the grand jury in her case as well, the sheriff reported.