Hillsboro, Ohio – A man from Hillsboro was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after being found guilty of multiple drug-related charges by a jury in Highland County Common Pleas Court. Stephen Charles Weil, age 38, was indicted in June 2023 on five felony charges, including aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine near a school zone, two counts of aggravated possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of aggravated trafficking of methamphetamine. The jury took only 40 minutes to reach a unanimous verdict of guilty on all charges.
During the trial, evidence was presented that Weil had sold meth to a confidential informant on three separate occasions in December 2022. The first buy took place at a gas station near a high school, where Weil had chosen the location and suggested the school as a potential meeting site. The other two buys occurred at Weil’s residence. Expert witnesses from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified that the substances purchased were indeed methamphetamine.
The jury also heard from the confidential informant, who detailed their involvement with the Highland County Task Force and the setup of the drug transactions. Testimony from investigating officers explained the operation of the Task Force and the surveillance conducted during the buys. Videos of the drug deals were played in court as evidence.
After the prosecution and defense presented their closing arguments, the jury deliberated and returned with guilty verdicts on all counts. They also determined that Weil’s property at his residence would be subject to forfeiture. The judge then sentenced Weil to a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison, with a possible sentence up to nine years under the Reagan Tokes Law. In addition to the prison sentence, Weil was ordered to pay restitution and fines and his real estate was forfeited to the county.
Following the sentencing in this case, a hearing was held regarding Weil’s alleged violations of community control in a previous drug possession case. Weil admitted to the violations, and the judge imposed an additional 18-month prison term to run consecutively with his current sentence.
Weil had participated in a drug court program, but the judge expressed disappointment, stating that Weil had not taken the program seriously and had failed to handle adversity appropriately. The judge terminated Weil’s community control and drug court enrollment, emphasizing that drug court was not just a means to avoid prison.
This sentencing sends a clear message about the consequences of drug-related crimes in Highland County, Ohio. Weil’s case highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in combating the sale and distribution of illegal drugs in the community.