STEUBENVILLE — Three people taken into custody after authorities raided two homes in downtown Steubenville have been ordered to stand trial on multiple drug and weapons charges.

A Jefferson County grand jury returned true bills against 18 people Wednesday, including Tashara Janae Jett, 241 N. 7th St., Steubenville, Dyani Amir Gregory, 200 S. Fourth St., Steubenville, and Michael Lawrence Day Price of Reynoldsburg.

A total of 19 indictments were handed down, Prosecutor Jane Hanlin reported.

In February, the Jefferson County Drug Task Force had reported finding 225 grams of methamphetamine, 10 grams of suspected fentanyl, two grams of crack cocaine and a gun in Jett’s home, and another 30 grams of cocaine and two weapons at Gregory’s home along with Price, who they claim had fled a narcotics traffic stop.

Jett, 31, faces two counts of trafficking cocaine, each with an additional specification that the alleged offense occurred within 1,000 feet of Harding Middle School; aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine with additional specifications that the alleged offense happened within 1,000 feet of Wells Elementary; aggravated possession of methamphetamine; possession of fentanyl and possession of cocaine from Jan. 18-Feb. 18 in Steubenville. The charges are all felonies.

Gregory, 37, is facing trial on felony charges of possession of cocaine and having weapons under disability Feb. 18 in Steubenville. Gregory’s indictment alleges that in 2013 he was adjudicated as a delinquent child in 2013 for felony drug trafficking, thus prohibiting him from having or using guns.

Price, 39, was indicted on charges he trafficked methamphetamine with an additional specification that the alleged offense occurred within 1,000 feet of Harding Middle School; trafficked fentanyl with an additional specification that the alleged offense occurred, also within 1,000 feet of Harding Middle School; aggravated possession of methamphetamine; possession of fentanyl and failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, Feb. 6-18 in Steubenville.

The indictments also include forfeiture specifications against Price for $860, and Jett, $910. Prosecutors allege the cash was derived from drug sales.

Others indicted were:

— Peggy Sue Blancato, 50, 412 S. 6th St., Steubenville, named in a two-count indictment charging her with burglary and complicity in the commission of an offense, both felonies.

Blancato allegedly conspired with her former brother-in-law, Mark James Blancato, to rob Capri.

Mark Blancato pleaded guilty earlier this week to a Bill of Information charging him with the Capri robbery and was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, with credit for time served.

— Sean Aaron Blanton, 612 N. 3rd St., Toronto, a single felony charge of gross sexual imposition.

The indictment charges Blanton, 38, with having sexual contact with a juvenile between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31.

Authorities allege Blanton touched the juvenile, who reported the incident to school authorities.

— James Dale Shannon, 36, 901 Bank St., Toronto, two counts of felonious assault Feb. 9.

The indictment alleges Shannon cut a youth with a box cutter.

Authorities said the youth went to a friend’s house and Shannon, unhappy the youth was there, slashed him with the box cutter.

— James Andrew Roe, address unknown, felonious assault, violating a protection order and domestic violence with a specification, all felonies.

The indictment alleges Roe, 40, “knowingly caused serious physical harm” to his live-in girlfriend on Feb. 18.

Authorities allege Roe maced the woman in her home despite being under an order prohibiting him from contact with her.

The domestic violence charge carries an additional specification because Roe has a prior domestic violence conviction in Toronto in 2021.

— James William Baker, 31, 4044 County Road 75, Bergholz, weapons under disability, aggravated possession of drugs, both felonies, and illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor.

Baker allegedly had methamphetamine in his possession when Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers spotted a vehicle they initially thought was unoccupied at the Park ‘n Ride Feb. 16, authorities said. Baker was “hunched down and doing methamphetamine with weapons in the car,” they alleged.

The indictment states Baker is prohibited from having or using guns because of a 2008 conviction for burglary in Texas.

— Leon King, 454 E. Church St., Apt. 107, Wintersville, having weapons under disability, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property with a forfeiture specification, all felonies, plus a misdemeanor charge of failing to stop after an accident involving the property of others.

Authorities allege King, 45, had a loaded Springfield XS in his possession when he wrecked his car near the OSHP barracks in Wintersville Feb. 25 and failed to report it. The gun had previously been reported stolen from a Jefferson County residence.

The indictment alleges King is prohibited from possessing guns due to his conviction in New Jersey for aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm in 2000.

— William Glenn Mills, 39, 54 Township Rd. 261, Bergholz, having weapons under disability and improper handling of a firearm with a forfeiture specification, March 9.

OSHP allegedly found a handgun and an AR 15 in Mills’ car March 9. Both weapons were loaded.

Authorities report OSHP found the weapons while serving Mills with a fugitive warrant for his arrest. Mills was prohibited from possessing or handling guns because of the arrest warrant, they said.

Prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of both guns.

— Stacy Lynn Shepard, 23, and Kenny Emerson Shepard, 38, both of 87674 Sinfield Rd., Hopedale, were indicted separately on felony charges of aggravated burglary and complicity in the commission of an offense Feb. 13 in Steubenville.

Stacy Shepard also was indicted on a felony charge of aggravated burglary Feb. 7 in Steubenville.

The indictment alleges the Shephards burglarized a downtown residence Feb. 13 and assaulted the homeowner and his wife, and that they aided and abetted each other in commission of the offense.

Stacey Shepard also allegedly entered a Main Street residence about a week earlier. At the time, city police had reported she dragged the homeowner out of the house by her hair and punched her, all in the presence of a child.

— Also facing drug charges are Sincere Nashawn Herring, 210 Richland St., Steubenville, and Jeryl Lamar Christian, 711 Smith Ave., Steubenville.

Herring, 23, was named in a four-count felony indictment charging him with aggravated possession of methamphetamine and possession of cocaine, both with forfeiture specifications, as well as improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and illegal conveyance of drugs into a detention facility Feb. 24 in Steubenville.

Christian, 31, was named in a two-count felony indictment charging him with possession of cocaine and aggravated possession of drugs, also Feb. 24 in Steubenville.

Authorities allege Christian had a bag of cocaine with his name on it and his identification cards inside it when he was taken into custody, as well as six oxycodone hydrochloride/acetaminophen pills.

Police allegedly found Herring’s identification cards in a bag filled with drugs and a loaded gun under his seat, and correctional officers also had reported finding more drugs in his underwear when he was being booked into jail, authorities said.

Prosecutors also are seeking forfeiture of $7,100 in Herring’s possession at the time of his arrest.

— Keonte Lamont Phifer, 29, 133 Pembroke Rd., Steubenville, two counts trafficking a fentanyl-related compound, with a school specification, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound in Steubenville, all felonies.

The indictment alleges Phifer possessed and tried to sell fentanyl within 1,000 feet of Garfield Elementary School on N. 5th Street on Sept. 12, and again on Sept. 13.

— Bryan Kenneth Nicosia, 405 Prospect St., Brilliant, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer Feb. 7.

Authorities allege Nicosia, 39, led police on a high-speed chase from Steubenville to Frank’s Bar in Bloomingdale, where he bailed out of his car. His identification documents were found under the car seat, they said.

— William Peter Blancato, 390 S. Bend Blvd., Steubenville, two felony counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both Jan. 21 in Steubenville.

The indictment alleges Blancato, 61, refused to submit to be tested and that he’d had “more than five convictions in the past 20 years,” authorities said.

Blancato allegedly had previously been convicted or pleaded guilty to violations in Indiana in 2004, 2009, twice in 2017 and again in 2018, they said.

Grand jurors also returned an amended indictment correcting a typo in an indictment returned in June against Jamal Goings, 32, Chicago. He’s charged with possession of a fentanyl-related compound, possession of cocaine and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.