A federal judge sentenced a former Columbus police officer on Tuesday to more than five years in prison for conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine.
John Kotchkoski, of Marengo in Morrow County, pleaded guilty to drug charges in 2022.
Court documents said that from at least June 2021 through his Sept. 2021 arrest, Kotchkoski conspired with another former Columbus police officer, Marco Merino, and a confidential informant to illegally traffic drugs. At the time, Kotchkoski was assigned to investigate drug crimes.
Kotchkoski provided a confidential informant with about 40 kilos of cocaine to distribute, then kept most of the profits.
He also conspired with Merino to receive a portion of drug money made from selling kilogram quantities of fentanyl.
As part of his conviction, Kotchkoski gave up a Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Corvette, more than 20 guns and more than $500,000.
Merino pleaded guilty in Feb. 2022 and was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2023.