Man pleads guilty to drug charges

The couple will have to pay $35,000 to the state.

LISBON — A man involved in a case of illegally processing deer meat has pleaded guilty to drug charges, while the same charges against his wife have been dismissed.

John W. Schneider, 58, of 25670 Mountz Road, Knox Township, will be sentenced at a later date.

Schneider pleaded guilty in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court to possession of OxyContin and marijuana.

He and his wife, Joanne, 53, operated Pine Hill Meats, which is next to their home.

In late 2006, Schneider pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor counts of illegally buying, selling or receiving deer meat or deer parts. In that case, Schneider was fined $500, sentenced to five days in jail and another 175 days under monitored house arrest.

It’s illegal to sell white-tailed deer meat in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.

Tips to the state’s poaching hot line sparked the raid. Some of the deer had been taken legally and some were taken illegally.

His wife, Joanne 53, pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor counts of processing, packing and selling white-tailed deer meat. She was fined $125 and was given a suspended 30-day jail sentence. The couple also had to make restitution of $6,000 to ODNR.

In the latest case, the Schneiders were each charged with felony possession of marijuana, felony possession of OxyContin and receiving stolen property, for alleged possession of a stolen rifle.

The drugs were found in a small building near the couple’s home. Instead of having the building demolished, the couple will pay the state $35,000 to keep it, said John Gamble, an assistant county prosecutor.

Gamble said Wednesday that the charges against the wife were dropped because evidence showed she was not involved in any crimes.

Schneider pleaded guilty to possession of OxyContin and marijuana. He faces up to five years in prison for the OxyContin and up to 18 months on the possession of marijuana.

The weapons charge was dismissed because Schneider produced a receipt for buying the gun from a shop, even though it had previously been stolen.