Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 14, 2026
Man Convicted of Drug Possession by Muskingum County Jury
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
On August 11, 2026, a Muskingum County Jury heard the case of Joseph Angelo who was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, a second-degree felony, and Illegal Use or Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Warren Edwards represented the State while Angelo chose to represent himself at the trial.
The jury heard inconsistent statements between his testimony at a failed suppression hearing and other statements he made during the course of the investigation, subsequent court proceedings and handwritten filings Angelo made with the Court in the course of representing himself.
Angelo first made claims that the meth was a health supplement. However, he later stated he thought the substance was meth until he tried it but because it did not get him high, he no longer believed it was meth. Angelo also attempted to argue that he had a prescription for methamphetamine.
The jury recognized Angelo’s inconsistent statements, including claims that the lab tested meth was actually a health supplement, and within thirty minutes returned guilty verdicts for both charges and a forfeiture specification.
At sentencing, to be scheduled at a later date, Angelo is facing a mandatory prison sentence of at least two years and up to eight years, in addition to additional time if he misbehaves while in prison. His motor vehicle the meth was found in is also subject to forfeiture. Angelo will also be supervised by the Adult Parole Authority when he completes the mandatory prison sentence.
Facts of the Case:
The case began when patrol officers with the Zanesville Police Department were dispatched to a local business in reference to a man passed out in his truck at a gas pump. When officers arrived, the man, identified as Joseph Angelo, had been passed out for over an hour.
During the encounter a Muskingum County K9 alerted for the presence of narcotics in Angelo’s truck.
During a search of Angelo’s truck officers found a digital scale and a clear plastic bag of white powdery/crystal substance that would later test positive as methamphetamine.
Assistant Prosecutor Edwards expressed his gratitude to the jurors, “My thanks to the jurors for their patience in sitting through the various stories crafted by a mind who has been influenced by twenty years of drug usage.”
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