21 arrested Tuesday night in Clinton County drug sweep, 52 indicted

A multi-agency drug sweep across Clinton County, known as Operation Kickstart, resulted in the arrest of 21 individuals Tuesday night. The coordinated effort targeted 52 people who had been indicted on drug-related charges. Deputies also seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia at some of the locations, according to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).

Clinton County Sheriff Doug Eastes said the sweep was the result of several months of investigation and planning by multiple agencies.

The groundwork for the drug sweep started in early fall 2024, before Eastes took over as sheriff, when his office and other police chiefs met to coordinate a countywide response to alleged drug trafficking.

“We got together and said, ‘Hey, we want to do this to show the county and the community that we’re working in concert with each other and that we’re going to work together and try to quell the scourge of drug trafficking and drugs in our communities,’” Eastes said.

Clinton County law enforcement agencies then coordinated drug buys and built cases for prosecution. County Prosecutor Brian Shidaker began reviewing the cases by late January before presenting them to a grand jury, which handed down indictments against the 52 suspects. The Clerk of Courts staff later fast-tracked the indictments.

“Cindy Bailey and her staff went above and beyond to make sure that we had the paperwork and filings that we needed to do this,” Eastes said.

Shidaker signed off on 732 indictments Monday ahead of the sweep.

Tuesday night’s operation involved deputies and officers from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, Wilmington Police Department, Blanchester Police Department, Sabina Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth and his office assisted with the investigations leading up to the sweep.

Clinton County Municipal Court Judge David Henry was on hand Tuesday night to sign off on search warrants as needed.

Shidaker praised the “unprecedented collaboration among county law enforcement agencies” in a press release, adding that “their efforts put constant pressure on those profiting from addiction and despair” and promising that law enforcement “will continue to disrupt these operations until those responsible either leave Clinton County or are removed through relentless enforcement.”

All deputies and officers returned to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office safely. “There were no injuries, no real problems. Everything went pretty smooth and successful,” Eastes said.

The sheriff expressed gratitude for the behind-the-scenes efforts of dispatchers, corrections officers and office staff who kept operations running smoothly while handling the surge of arrests.

“They’re the unsung heroes,” Eastes said. “Without each one of those, we never would’ve been able to be as successful as we were.”

After the operation, Shidaker described the sweep as “only the first wave,” saying it would be a series of ongoing efforts. “Like the tide, we will continue these drug sweeps – again and again – until lasting change is achieved.”