A former Columbus police officer was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 46 months in prison for stealing and selling cocaine.
John Castillo, 32, of Grove City, was assigned to investigate drug crimes.
Court documents said that in 2021, he conspired with another officer, Joel Mefford, to steal and sell about 10 kilograms of cocaine.
Authorities say the two officers took about 10 kilos of cocaine from a North Everett Avenue house in east Columbus and did not turn it into evidence. They planted two additional kilos of cocaine at the house for police to later discover.
The 10 kilograms were given to someone else to sell.
Castillo pleaded guilty in June to a charge of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
Mefford, of London, pleaded guilty in August to one count of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of money laundering for allegedly depositing $72,000 in cash from cocaine sales into his personal bank account. Mefford is scheduled to be sentenced in January.