June 16, 2005

By Diane Chiddister

Yellow Springs police arrested Kimo Brown on Thursday, June 9, at his Gardendale Drive home, and, after executing a search warrant, charged him with 18 counts of possession of cocaine, 19 counts of possession of criminal tools and two counts of trafficking in drugs.

The charges are all fifth-degree felonies.

Brown, who is 47, was taken to the Greene County Jail after his arrest, and he posted bond on Monday.

His case has been assigned to Judge Susan L. Goldie of the Xenia Municipal Court.

“I want to let people know we are focusing on drugs,” said Police Chief John Grote. “We have made quite a few drug arrests in the last six months and will continue to do so. I believe Yellow Springs has a drug problem.”

Police had held suspicions about Brown for years, according to police records, and several complaints in recent months about an excessive amount of traffic in and out of the residence sparked the department’s recent interest, Grote said.

The Police Department suspected that Brown’s home was used “not only to distribute drugs but also for the use of drugs,” Grote said.

At Brown’s home, at 215 Gardendale, police confiscated crack cocaine, marijuana and an assortment of drug paraphernalia and items used for drug trafficking, Grote said.

He said police are continuing to investigate other aspects of the case, including the identities of those who purchased drugs from Brown.

The recent activity at Brown’s home was investigated by the Police Department, with assistance from the Greene County Prosecutor’s office in obtaining the search warrant.

Grote said that the department’s recent arrests do not reflect an increase in drug use in Yellow Springs but rather the department’s recent heightened focus on drug abuse.