Michael Mearan, prominent Portsmouth attorney, was arrested Oct. 23, 2020 on an 18-count indictment for sex trafficking. Police detectives began looking into Mearan in late 2018, about the same time our news partners at the Cincinnati Enquirer began reporting on rumors of sex trafficking in the southern Ohio city. He was a dispatcher for the Scioto County Sheriffs Office at the time. We call him the Million Dollar Man. "The case was originally assigned to then-Detective Ron Davis. It was uncomfortable., Other than that, he had no complaints about BCI, who he also referred to as the goon squad who came in here. The letter did not specify what illegal activity was being investigated. His file includes several commendations during the 1990s, including his performance during the riots at the state prison in Lucasville in 1993. We are a boutique law firm with diverse experiences please contact us to discuss your legal needs! Mills wound up having a child with Artressias brother, making the two women family. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But the BCI took the unusual step of asking for victims and witnesses to speak up. He is 14 now and is being raised by his grandparents (Megan Lancasters mother and father). Mike has played with his brother Kevin in the "Delgado" Band for 30 years. Mearan (center) has repeatedly denied any allegation that he was involved in prostitution or sex trafficking. Im 74 years old, home like Im supposed to be, and youre doing this during this virus situation?. Mearan has not been charged and in an interview with FOX19 NOW, he categorically denied all allegations. The affidavit also refers to a Portsmouth judge 'in collusion' with Mearan, alleging that Mearan provided the judge women, according to information 'obtained through numerous interviews, including interviews with former prostitutes'. Mark Malonewas the citys chief probation officer until July,when he was reassigned to be a bailiff by Judge Kegley. Two days later, on Friday March 27, the AGs office, which oversees BCI, sought help on the case from the public. The victims were reluctant to come forward because they thought nothing would ever happen to him, but something could happen to them., March 21:Drugs, sex trafficking and missing women: Small Ohio town haunted by dark allegations, March 26:Police raid home of former Ohio councilman accused in sex trafficking ring. A look at the day's best photographs from around the world. I was thankful that I didnt go to Chicago.". And then she hid from her Chicago handler elsewhere in Scioto County until he left without her. https://t.co/5PUCYPgJ1O Lane Ball (@LaneBallWOWKTV) November 27, 2021 Look what youve caused. "The problem of human trafficking is much, much broader than people think," he said. I think everyone does. He was seen outside on his front porch in the morning chill while BCI began to scour all four floors of his home, including the basement and attic. They also told him they sent letters backing him to BCI. asking for victims and witnesses to speak up. Unfortunately, those have slowed considerably over these seven years. To journalists with The CincinnatiEnquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network. Megan Lancaster kept a black notebook with names and phone numbers among pages that have dance for and men who give money, written on them, according to Kadie Lancaster and a copy she provided to us. He gets women who have been into trouble, takes them into court and they work for him as a dog walker or he says they are getting their GEDs, he says several things, she said. 536 S High St, Columbus, OH 43215. In the twilight hours of Divine Mercy Sunday, April 19, 2020 the world lost a good, gracious and loving man. Age: 53 (born 1969) Lives at: 2639 Clague Rd, Westlake, 44145 Ohio. He said BCI took his phone, so he had to buy a new one but still felt he should call us on yet another line. PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (FOX19) - A Portsmouth lawyer and former city council member under state investigation is linked to prostitution, sex trafficking and the drugs, federal court records show. And relived in a sense, Lancaster said. Attorney arrested for sex trafficking. The Ohio Supreme Court thensuspended his law license. He said he didnt know if he was tapped. I'm told Michael Mearan, the Portsmouth lawyer indicted for human. Mearan, 74, was investigated by a human trafficking task force as part of Ohio Attorney General David Yosts Organized Crime Investigations Commission. Liked by Michael Moran Very proud to announce that I have been named to Morgan Stanley's prestigious President's Club, an elite group of the Firm's top Financial Advisors Liked by Michael. The family feels that by then, what likely was key evidence in her vehicle had been compromised. Devin Moran, Ricky Thornton Jr - Portsmouth Raceway Park - DTWC - Lucas Dirt Series A35I0750. The worst that came of it were the convictions of eight defendants who pleaded guilty to drug charges and none of those eight were Mearan. Several women interviewed by the Enquirer identified the unnamed judge as William T. Marshall, who has denied any involvement with drugs or prostitution. But I can still handle it. According to his personnel file, Phil Malone was hired by the Scioto County Sheriffs Office in 1989 and staffed dispatch for all of his career there due to his poor eyesight. In the meantime, he said he went out and bought a new phone and downloaded his contacts through his iCloud. or. 2129 14th street nw washington, dc 20009 michael moran portsmouth ohio. Mearan faces more than 70 years in prison if convicted, Yost says. Mearan, 74, has denied having anything to do with trafficking,prostitution or drugs. They stem from activity between 2003 and 2018 involving six women. I have no reason to base that on any facts, but the whole police force worked very hard for a long time and still are working and they dont know.. He said there was no way to have any privacy in the office at the time. He feels really bad about it, Marshall said of Mearan. Theyd go broke in Portsmouth," he said. Why are you protecting this man? Voter Status: Active. There are a couple of leads I am still working on, but obviously I cannot elaborate any on them due to the sensitivity and open status of the case. Im told Michael Mearan, the Portsmouth lawyer indicted for human trafficking, has died. Federal authorities received complaints for years about Michael Mearan, 74, according to a 2015 affidavit filed under seal with the Southern District of Ohio that FOX19 NOW obtained. His license plate says pro bono" and he is proud to say he has never turned down a client because they didnt have the money to pay him. Her best friend and sister-in-law, Megan Lancaster, 25, is the woman who vanished seven years ago Friday, on April 3, 2013. A visit to the city probation department showed Phil Malones former office did provide the ability to hide behavior. Mearan declined to give us a copy of it, but he did read it to us when asked. She had a son, age seven, who now lives with his grandmother. He said no one at BCI has informed him he is going to be charged - or is even under investigation for that matter. An arraignment, where a judge will set bond and Mearan will appear with an attorney, is expected to take place Monday. The charges include three counts of trafficking in persons, five counts of compelling prostitution, win counts of promoting prostitution and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Joy, Ohio, a son of the late Ora and. Marshall said he wants to prove the rumors and allegations are lies. Those women said Mearan, as their defense attorney, promised lenient sentences from judges he knew and parole officers who would ignore probation requirements as long as the women were willing to have sex for money. A prominent Ohio lawyer, who has been accused of being involved in a sex trafficking ring, was detained after dozens of FBI agents and local law enforcement officers raided his home Wednesday morning. Mearan has been known to law enforcement in Portsmouth for more than 40 years and has been indirectly tied to multiple prior FBI investigations into human trafficking, extortion, violent gangs and White Slave Trafficking, the affidavit reads. At one point during our interview, Mearan put us on the phone with a woman who he said was in his house cleaning it, a client who went to prison as a result of Megan Lancaster. 81 records for Michael Moran in Ohio. Website Directions More Info. Mearan called after we initially spoke and said he wanted to stress he has no personal knowledge of Megan Lancasters case or whereabouts. In some circumstances, its like gambling. At the time, Mearan told reporters that any investigation into him would be fruitless because he led a boring life.. Were going to take pictures,' he recalled. I had her in my courtroom for stalking older men. I saved his life.. "ButI still feel like theres more work to do. I hope and pray they dont end up on social media and ruin anybody elses lives, Mills said. According to the Supreme Court of Ohio's attorney services office, Mearan's registration is active. Portsmouth OH, 45662. Kayla Artressia and Phil Malone both pleaded not guilty at their arraignment last month. So I dont know. PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (AP) A veteran attorney from southern Ohio who was charged last year with human trafficking involving six women most, former clients has died, according to published reports. On Friday, everything changed. Michael Mearan had been taken to a hospital on Wednesday and died there Friday from undisclosed "health complications," according to his attorney, Michael Siewert. When her friend Linda Mills said she had a way for her to make money, she tagged along to Phil Malones house, she said. She just disappeared. Lap 10, Moran has caught the tail of the field. 'Are you serious? YEARS WITH (614) 362-9225. I trusted Phil Malone. She said her handler drove her across the country in a Ford Mustang to have sex with other men, and once flew her to New York for more of the same. "His victims were utterly powerless," Yost said. 2. The court was notified by the Portsmouth Municipal Court that Mearan had appeared as attorney on a civil case on Feb. 3 and when asked what his status as attorney was, Mearan said he was still an attorney as far as he knew. CINCINNATI For more than15 years, accusers of Michael Mearan felt as ifthey were screaming into the void. He wasplaced on house arrest in March, after violating the conditions of his bond by taking on new clients. When FOX19 NOW asked Mearan about Megan Lancaster, he responded: "The only involvement that I had with Megan was she was a snitch on a client. PDT News 365. I do not believe any evidence was lost, based on what I read in Detective Davis notes. Lancaster, who was 25 when she was last seen, kept names and phone numbers in color-coded notebooks that her sister-in-law, Kadie Lancaster, compiled and showed The Enquirer last year. She said he used to give her gifts, including inexpensive jewelry and cards to play at the local bingo hall. I can still work, just cut back and theres less because of the virus anyway.". Mearan, she said, trafficked me to his friends or pimped me out.. Im blessed, but Im so angry right now. Numerous complaints have been received and, subsequently, documented by the FBI Portsmouth office and FBI/HIDTA/Southern Ohio Drug Task Force (SODTF) relative to this criminal activity, the affidavit states. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. He said they told him it would be a priority. In 2010, Phil Malone was accused of bringing women who were on probation to his house to have sex for money. Ohio Attorney General David Yost onMichael Mearan: 'At least he died publicly charged for his crimes', MichaelMearan facedmultiple felonies related to sex trafficking, former Portsmouth city councilman and lawyer, Why it took decades to arrest Michael Mearan, Judge modifies Michael Mearan's house arrest after health 'visibly declined,' attorney says, changed the conditions of Mearan's house arrest, Trapped and trafficked, Portsmouth's dark secret, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Michael M Moran, 47. Secondary navigation. pic.twitter.com/swqdG2KArB. She thinks Mearan was involved somehow or knows what happened. (July 31, 2022) The Conley Motorsports, Inc. (CMI) teams invaded the nearby Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio on Saturday night, July 30 for the annual running of the 'Boone Coleman Memorial Gator 50.' The Valvoline Iron-Man Late Model Series presided over the single-day throwdown and a $5,000 winner's check was up for grabs. James Moran in Ohio. Over the next 10 years, Mills drifted in and out of recoveryand eventually was convicted on heroin charges in 2017. Dr. Douthat practices primary care Optometry, including the fitting of contact lenses and the treatment of ocular diseases. In our eyes, in many, many community members eyes, Megan is a hero," Kadie Lancaster said. She remembers being there when he picked Mills up for the first time, saying he was manipulative,with promises of making $2,000 a week. The documents stem from a complaint Phil Malone filed against Municipal Court Judge Steven Mowery over his firing. That would be correct in definition. STEPHEN 'What sentimental tosh!' In the early hours of March 25th, members of BCI . "I have kept the former chief, as well as the current acting chief, informed on the case. Shes been working closely with investigatorssince earlier in the summer. Her body has never been recovered. Whats more, Mearan has been known to law enforcement in Portsmouth for more than 40 years and has been indirectly tied to multiple prior FBI investigations into human trafficking, extortion, violent gangs and White Slave Trafficking," the court record reads. Friends may call in the McGORRAY BROS. When we asked if he had a lawyer, he responded: He who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer, but I havent been charged with anything. I did look into Mr. Mearan in relation to the Lancaster investigation. Rest assured I, as well as others at the Portsmouth Police Department, will continue to work toward hopefully solving this case and bringing answers to the family and friends of Megan Lancaster.. We have enough going on with this virus to let something like this get me down.. Kayla Artressia acknowledged asking him to notarize a backdated document so she could take possession of her fiancs body after his death in May. /eileen ryan penn little house on the prairie/ michael moran portsmouth ohio. Details coming soon. I am not hoping. We cant find his money as far as where he keeps it.". Im so angry. "No ones ever believed me," Mills said. They released, a plea to the public Anyone with information about Michael Mearans suspicious activity can call 1-855-BCI-OHIO (855-224-6446) or file a tip anonymously online. This ability to file a tip is still available. Mills said she doesnt know how Malone set her up with the man in Chicago. Michael Mearan, a former Portsmouth city councilman and lawyer who was facingmultiple felonies related to sex trafficking, died Friday afternoonfollowing health complications, his attorney confirmed. Southern Ohio Sexual Assault Treatment Center, Man Arrested for Impersonating a Police Officer, Shameless Snap Scammers Already on the Prowl. ", "Her heart obviously sunk. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Sign Up. Portsmouth lawyer Michael Mearan arrested on human trafficking charges Cincinnati Enquirer staff View Comments 0:00 0:37 Former Portsmouth, Ohio, city council member and attorney Michael. I dont know anything or if he paid them. We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. Thats the definition. The case will be handled in the countys common pleas court. Kadie Lancaster and her husband said they have never been informed by Brewer or anyone at the police department that the detective fears more serious circumstances in her disappearance. SCIOTO COUNTY, Ohio (FOX19) - A Portsmouth lawyer and former city council member has been indicted on 18 felony counts related to an alleged sex trafficking ring in southern Ohio, Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement Friday. Mary Lawhon told The Enquirer that he sometimes paid her $100 at a time and that the relationship started when she was 18 following a conviction of driving under the influence in 2008. Michael Craig Moran Addresses Click Here For Michael Craig Moran's Last Known Address 3633 N 3rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013-3916 5501 Stone Point Dr, Mount Vernon, IN 47620-7364 6055 Varwyne Dr, Dublin, OH 43016-9189 7529 Indian Wells Pl, Lone Tree, CO 80124-4216 6172 Meridian Street West Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46208-1539 4900 S Ulster St Apt 9-105, Denver, CO 80237-2891 1879 E State Ave, Phoenix . The lawyer promised them lenient sentences from judges he knew and parole officers willing to ignore probation requirements, but there was a catch: The women had to agree to have sex for money. Kellico Inc. I dont know.". Michael Mearan, 74, was arrested Wednesday after police raided his Ohio home He was seen in handcuffs sitting on his porch while police searched his home Last year, an affidavit alleged that. His house and law office is located next to the Scioto County Courthouse. He also said there has not been a single case of the judges that has been overruled. She said that began an ordeal that lasted four years, during which she became addicted to drugs. I trusted him, said Mills. I want to own up to what I done, said Kaylanow 32. His personnel file from that time, however, consists of four pages, including the February 2011 letter firing him for just cause with no details. They never thought it would happen.. michael moran portsmouth ohiohonda monkey vs ruckus michael moran portsmouth ohio. I guess they just threw in the kitchen sink, he said. He said the charges were dismissed, although documents from the Ohio Supreme Courts Office of Disciplinary Counsel tell a more complete story. He wasexpected to be arraigned in Scioto County Common Pleas Court on Monday. He is also an NRA Chief Range Safety Officer. Michael Mearan Mearan on house arrest after taking on new clients PORTSMOUTH A Portsmouth attorney and former city councilman has been put on house arrest after the judge in his case was. Another woman said she had sexual contact with Mark Malone while serving community service at the office when he was in charge. He said he had two cases involving her, civil protection orders filed against her. He said Mearan called him and told him the case made the newspaper in London, England. He admitted to inviting the women into his bedroom to take pictures with a toy camera, according to the documents. People who have a public position, particularly a position in law enforcement, or a lawyer, or an officer of the court it makes it even more wrong.. He wasarrested and charged in October 2020and wasawaiting trial in Scioto County at the time of his death. He was charged with procuring a prostitute, and a different judge was brought in to oversee the case. Megan Lancaster, who had a history of drug abuse, was 25 at the time of her disappearance. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 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