HARTFORD, Mich. — After an investigation that took several weeks to complete, the public works director in Hartford, Justin Ryan, was arrested on drug-related charges, said Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott.
“Our narcotics division wound up getting a tip that their public works director was dealing cocaine,” he said during an interview with FOX 17 on Wednesday.
Sheriff Abbott said he doesn’t know if Ryan, 45, has since kept his job. Old documents online show that he was the superintendent of the public works department.
However, the tip about his alleged dealings came into their office over two months ago.
“The narcotics unit is very good at what they do. They’re very methodical,” Sheriff Abbott said. “They were able to get into this individual and get several buys of cocaine from him.”
He said investigators learned that Ryan worked alone and dealt cocaine during work hours and afterward, even at home. So authorities obtained a search warrant and arrested him.
“I can tell you they actually arrested him at work two weeks ago. And the reason for that is he had three dogs at his residence, big dogs that were aggressive,” Sheriff Abbott said. “The narcotics unit felt it would be better overall to arrest him at work, take him there so he can secure the dogs so that the search warrant of the residence can be executed.”
Sheriff Abbott said that Ryan was “semi-cooperative” when he was arrested. During the search warrant, investigators found “additional amounts of cocaine and a handgun," as stated in the news release.
Ryan has since been arraigned on charges of felony firearm, maintaining a drug house, possession with intent to deliver cocaine and multiple counts of delivery of cocaine.
Sheriff Abbott said sometimes cases like these with high-profiled individuals can be difficult to work because of the person’s position.
“Those are harder cases for us to work just because being a position like that they’re more cautious. They don’t think anybody’s looking at them,” he said. “So, whenever our office gets a tip like that we take them very seriously.”
He said every tip they look into. Nevertheless, he applauded the people who tipped them off about what was happening.
“I can continue to encourage the community: if you think this is going on, let us know,” Sheriff Abbott said. “We’re going to look into it. We’re not going to turn our heads on anything. It’s no secret you know some of the high-profiled folks that we’ve arrested in the last several years out of our office.”
FOX 17 has reached out to the city of Hartford for a comment or an interview, and are waiting to hear back.
