LISBON — An East Liverpool man originally indicted with a major drug offender specification was recently sentenced to at least 19 years in prison and could face up to six years more if the state decides to keep him longer.

Joseph J. DeSarro, 32, appeared for sentencing earlier this week in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court before Judge Megan Bickerton for multiple drug counts from three separate indictments. One of the cases was originally before Judge Scott Washam, but was transferred to Bickerton’s court.

The charges stemmed from two traffic stops in 2024 and a drug raid on a Cadmus Street, East Liverpool property on Feb. 12, 2024 which specifically resulted in the seizure of more than 1,000 grams or 1 kilo of counterfeit pressed fentanyl pills disguised as prescription Percocet, roughly 56 grams of cocaine and cash totaling $6,920.

All drug trafficking charges will be dismissed per the plea agreements reached this summer, including two counts of first-degree felony trafficking in cocaine, two counts of first-degree felony trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and one count of second-degree felony trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound. Also dismissed was the major drug offender specification.

For the case involving the drug raid, DeSarro was accused of placing bags of cocaine and pressed fentanyl pills into the upstairs bathroom toilet and attempting to flush them while the Columbiana County Drug Task Force was executing the search warrant.

The sentence for that case included consecutive indefinite terms of nine to 13 years and three to four and a half years for two counts of first-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound, and three to four and a half years for first-degree felony possession of cocaine, with a specifications for forfeiture of money in a drug case, for a total so far of 15 years to 19 1/2 years. He was sentenced to serve one year for third-degree felony tampering with evidence, to be served at the same time as the other terms. He also received mandatory fines totaling $30,000 and was ordered to forfeit the $6,920.

During a traffic stop when he was a passenger in East Liverpool on Dec. 31, 2024, he was accused of tampering with a plastic bag and shoving it down his pants after being placed in a patrol car. While in the dressing room at the Columbiana County jail, he was found to be in possession of multiple illegal narcotics and admitted to the illegal narcotics being crack, cocaine and fentanyl.

According to the indictment, he possessed cocaine in an amount equal or greater than 27 grams but less than 100 grams and fentanyl in an amount equal or greater than 10 grams but less than 20 grams. He also possessed amphetamine, oxycodone, buprenorphine and alprazolam.

He was sentenced to one year each for third-degree felonies of illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto grounds of a detention facility or of an institution and tampering with evidence, indefinite terms of three to four and a half years each for first-degree felony possession of cocaine and second-degree felony possession of a fentanyl-related compound and nine months each for fifth-degree felonies of two counts aggravated possession of drugs and two counts possession of drugs. All the terms were ordered served concurrently with each other but consecutive with the other two cases, increasing the prison term to 18 years minimum and a maximum of 24 years.

The total increased to 19 years minimum to a maximum of 24 years after he was sentenced to concurrent terms of one year each for fourth-degree felony attempted failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer (reduced from third-degree felony failure to comply) and third-degree felony tampering with evidence and nine months for fifth-degree felony possession of cocaine with a specification for forfeiture of money in a drug case.

These charges stemmed from a traffic stop in East Liverpool on Jan. 21, 2024 when he possessed cocaine and $8,458. He received credit for 109 days already served in jail, was ordered to forfeit the $8,458 and his driver’s license was suspended for five years.

With the indefinite sentences, the court was required to give a minimum and a maximum, with the maximum dependent on the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. In other words, he must serve the 19 years, then the state can decide whether he must remain for up to an additional six years, dependent on his behavior.

A status hearing remains set for Oct. 6 for DeSarro to appear for a still pending case for two counts of complicity in the commission of an offense, a third-degree felony, with one count dealing with him soliciting or procuring other people to bring the drugs into the jail and the other count dealing with conspiring with others to bring the drugs in. The dates of the offenses were April 22-April 24 this year, according to the indictment.

Columbiana County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino announced the sentence for DeSarro on social media, noting the large seizures of drugs which included over 8,000 pressed fentanyl pills, over 30 grams of powder fentanyl, over 90 grams of cocaine, and various other controlled substances, plus the approximately $15,000 recovered which must be forfeited per Ohio law.

In the announcement, he said that prosecutors and investigators categorized Desarro’s cases as some of the larger drug seizures in Columbiana County history. Abruzzino credited all agencies involved in these investigations, including the Columbiana County Drug Task Force, the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the East Liverpool Police Department and the Liverpool Township Police Department.

Prosecutors also commended current county Drug Task Force Director Jesse Smith and former director Brett Grabman for the ongoing investigative efforts that resulted in the sentence.

mgreier@mojonews.com