Assistant prosecuting attorneys in the drug unit handle upper level drug cases, including drug related homicides and drug racketeering prosecutions. The assistant prosecuting attorneys in the drug unit work with local, state and federal jurisdictions to divert drug-dependent individuals into treatment and to affect the apprehension and successful prosecution of the most serious drug offenders and suppliers. In addition, the unit handles the prosecution of the licensed professionals and paraprofessionals indicted for drug related crimes.
In the fall of 2009, spearheaded by Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, in collaboration with Municipal and Common Pleas Courts and police, the Drug Court program was started and a specialized unit within the drug unit was established with the goal of treating rather than prosecuting drug-dependent individuals.
In an effort to further protect the citizens of Franklin County, the drug unit works with the H.O.P.E. task force and other investigative agencies to combat the effects of the heroin epidemic by prosecuting those who supply the drugs which lead to overdoses.