Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Dresden Major Drug Offender Convicted by Jury
ZANESVILLE, OH -
A jury of six men and six women met Tuesday and Wednesday this week in Judge Gerald Anderson’s courtroom to hear the case of Rylan Burrie, 40, of Dresden.
Burrie was charged with trafficking and possession of major drug offender quantities of methamphetamine, large amounts of cocaine, and bulk quantities of psilocin mushrooms and hydrocodone pills.
In an unusual twist, Burrie started the trial by representing himself but quickly gave up that tactic and opted for defense attorney Lisa Tome to take over for jury selection.
The jury deliberated for around an hour before returning guilty verdicts against Burrie for:
• Trafficking in methamphetamine, major drug offender specification, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Aggravated possession of drugs, methamphetamine, major drug offender specification, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Trafficking in cocaine, first degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Possession of cocaine, first degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Trafficking in psilocin, third degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Possession of psilocin, third degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Trafficking in hydrocodone, third degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
• Possession of hydrocodone, third degree felony, firearm specification, forfeiture specification
Burrie has a criminal record with a history of violence, violating protection orders, probation violations, vehicular assault, and resisting arrest.
Burrie faces a minimum of 12 years and a maximum of 29 years when sentenced at a later date.
Details of the Case:
Licking County CODE Agents were following up on an investigation that led them into Muskingum County on April 24, 2025, when they secured a search warrant for Rylan Burrie’s residence, shared with his girlfriend and mother of his child, Tiffany Thorpe, in Dresden.
As officers were securing the house for the search, Burrie showed up in the area and took off running. Burrie was eventually located a short time later by Sheriff Matt Lutz and placed in custody by County Commissioner Drake Prouty.
Assistant Prosecutor Lucas Howard questioned Sheriff Lutz who testified that he responded while off duty to assist in the search and located Burrie in Dresden. When Sheriff Lutz located Burrie, he ordered him to stop. Auxiliary Deputy, and County Commissioner Prouty placed Burrie in custody.
Burrie was brought back to the scene of the crime and interviewed by Licking County Detective Hayden Walpole.
During the investigation, Muskingum County deputies discovered 850 grams of methamphetamine, 60 grams of cocaine, 90 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and 158 hydrocodone pills in the residence. Also discovered was a safe full of guns, gold and silver bullion bars, silver coins, more than $7,000 cash, ammunition, magazines and other items of value.
Burrie confessed to Det. Walpole that he purchases and sells the drugs, and described the locations, prices, and details of his drug dealing while using narcotics trade jargon.
At trial, Burrie took the stand in his own defense and claimed that, while he did confess, he was lying about being a drug dealer. He claimed he was just trying to keep the cops off the trail of his girlfriend Tiffany Thorpe, implying she and her estranged husband were the real culprits.
Jurors did not believe Burrie’s testimony.
Assistant Prosecutor John Litle’s questioning of Burrie made it clear to jurors that Burrie was not telling the truth about many things.
“Any time there is a confession, the case is pretty solid for the prosecution,” according to APA Litle.
Muskingum County Prosecutor Ron Welch said, “Once again law enforcement has done a great job of putting together an investigation which allowed APAs Litle and Howard to secure convictions that will result in a drug dealer being removed from our community. This is another win for the law-abiding citizens of Muskingum County and another loss for the drug dealers.”
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