Lima man pleads guilty to fentanyl trafficking

Aug. 26—LIMA — A Lima man accused of trafficking fentanyl near a school and other drug-related offenses reached a deal with prosecutors Monday that could land him behind bars for decades.

Seyoum Lawrence, 30, will be sentenced Oct. 28 after pleading guilty to possession of a fentanyl-related compound and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, both first-degree felonies. Lawrence also pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.

Prosecutors say the Lima man allegedly sold fentanyl near a school and, in a separate incident, was found in possession of more than 100 grams of fentanyl. Lawrence was in possession of 255 grams of fentanyl at the time of his arrest, prosecutors say.

In January, a grand jury indicted Lawrence on four counts of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, possession of a weapon while incapacitated and a first-degree felony count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.

Prosecutors dismissed four of the charges in a negotiated deal and also dropped a firearm specification and another specification that labeled Lawrence a major drug offender. As part of the negotiated deal, he agreed to forfeit more than $5,000 in alleged drug profits and pay just over $2,000 in restitution to the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force.

Before entering his guilty plea Monday, Allen County Magistrate Court Judge Jeffrey Reed repeatedly explained to Lawrence that a guilty plea to possession of a fentanyl-related compound carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 11 years. The remaining first-degree felony count could add an additional eight years behind bars.

Most of the incidents are said to have occurred in August and October 2023; one of the traffic-related violations is said to have occurred in December.