Columbus man, Chillicothe woman plead guilty to drug and money laundering

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A 42-year-old man from Columbus and a 24-year-old woman from Chillicothe have pleaded guilty to assisting two brothers in drug trafficking.

Todd Fulkerson and Lazae Lett each pleaded guilty to charges related to drug and money laundering Wednesday in U.S. District Court, according to Kelly Norris, the acting attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.

The charges stem from alleged incidents in February 2024 when Fulkerson went to Arizona to help provide security for 30-year-old Caleb Barillaro, who was acquiring a huge amount of drugs to resell in Chillicothe. Fulkerson was recruited by Barillaro because of his military experience.

Barillaro bought two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 before he and Fulkerson drove back to Ohio, which law enforcement surveilled. Fulkerson admitted in court to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute drugs and could face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Lett said in court Wednesday she laundered money from drug sales to Mexico, with court documents saying she sent around $2,000 in money orders via Western Union from a Walmart and two Krogers in Chillicothe.

Court documents said Lett was assisting Caleb's brother Dillon, 31, who allegedly provided the drug proceeds to Lett and drove her to the stores to conduct the transactions. Lett faces up to 20 years in prison while the Barillaro brothers pleaded guilty earlier to federal narcotics charges.