PATASKALA -- Federal investigators found more than $4.2 million in alleged drug money, some of it obscured in walls, under floorboards and in hidden compartments, during coordinated raids March 14, according to court documents.
The documents state more than a ton of marijuana and more than 80 guns also were found in the raids.
Brothers Donald and Timothy Dailey, ages 39 and 38, respectively, were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell in federal court in Columbus last week, according to court documents.
Tony Marotta, Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in charge of Ohio, said the brothers, along with two other suspects, could face conspiracy and money laundering charges as well.
The raids were part of a joint investigation between several DEA bureaus and the criminal investigations wing of the Internal Revenue Service. Marotta said about 2,060 pounds of marijuana, more than 80 firearms, documents and vehicles, along with the cash, all were secured as evidence after search warrants were served at the homes of Donald Dailey, 6397 Watkins Road, and Timothy Dailey, 211 King Ave., Kirkersville.
"What's huge is the amount of money," Marotta said Monday morning. "Pulling $3 million in cash from somebody's home. I've been here five years and haven't seen that."
Cindy Ford's property is adjacent to Donald Dailey's, where much of the marijuana, guns and money allegedly were found.
"He was a very nice guy," Ford said. "He kept to himself, but I would see him when I was mowing and he'd wave."
Ford was woken up the night of the raid by the lights from the police cars, but thought there had been a crash. It wasn't until later she realized what had happened.
"I'm really naive; I was so shocked I couldn't believe it," Ford said.
Like Ford, most of the neighbors said they assumed a family lived there. For some time, a child got off the bus in front of the home each day and Dailey would set off a Fourth of July fireworks display that rivaled the one in Columbus.
Phil Hansell lives across the street and said the neighborhood generally is friendly, but the individuals in that house were not interested in making friends.
"They stayed real close," Hansell said. "I have heard automatic fire back there in the woods, but there is a range out there and I didn't think anything of it."
Hansell's daughter, Leighanna Hansell, said she was unnerved by the crime so close to her own home.
"Who knew in Pataskala, on Watkins Road. I grew up here; I never imagined anything," she said. "I have a 5-year-old, and it is scary that close."
Marotta said the local DEA office was alerted to an ongoing investigation conducted by its Dallas counterpart that could involve the transport of large quantities of marijuana from Texas to Columbus.
The Texas office also was made aware of the Dailey brothers' possible connection to the marijuana ring, he said.
A motor home with Texas license plates arrived at Donald Dailey's home at about 7 p.m. March 14 and departed about an hour and a half later, according to a complaint filed by U.S. attorneys in the U.S. District Court of Southern Ohio.
The vehicle was stopped by the Ohio Highway Patrol on Interstate 71 near Ohio 56, and a search revealed more than $500,000 hidden inside a wall of the motor home, the complaint states.
Two men, William Stevenson and Marvin Jackson, both of Texas, were arrested, Marotta said.
Ed Stiles, who lives several doors down from the Watkins Road home, said the motor home had been to the house several times before. Each time it would come for a few days, he said.
The patrol tried to apprehend Timothy Dailey as he left his brother's home at about 10:30 p.m. that night, but he escaped and abandoned his truck, which contained about 260 pounds of marijuana, the complaint alleges.
Soon thereafter, Donald Dailey's home was raided and 1,800 pounds of marijuana and about $3.2 million was found concealed under floorboards beneath furniture, Marotta said.
The elder Dailey also had fled upon learning of his brother's close call, the complaint states.
Both Daileys later were located.
More than 80 firearms, including shotguns, pistols and rifles, were found at the brothers' homes, with the vast majority under Donald Dailey's roof, Marotta said.
Jackson appears to be a hired hand, but Stevenson is the focus of an intensive probe from the Dallas bureau, Marotta said.
"This is an ongoing investigation," he said. "We are expecting more arrests not only here but also DEA in Dallas is doing their own parallel investigation on Stevenson and making arrests and seizures."
But Stiles said this isn't the first time drugs have been found at the house. Advocate archives confirmed that although Dailey had lived in the home for two years, one of the previous owners purchased marijuana from a police informant.
Guess once its a hot house its always a hot house.
