“Butters” Drummond Gets 16+ Years for Westside Drug & Violence

COLUMBUS, OH – Keith “Butters” Drummond, a 41-year-old Westside Columbus drug trafficker, is headed to federal prison for more than 16 years. Drummond was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 197 months for crimes related to trafficking narcotics and illegally wielding firearms.

The sentence was announced jointly by Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosatives (ATF), and Columbus Interim Police Chief Thomas Quinlan. Drummond, facing a three-count Superseding Indictment returned by a federal grand jury in November 2017, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (over 28 grams of crack cocaine), possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The years-long investigation by the Columbus Division of Police and ATF revealed Drummond operated multiple “trap houses” on the west side of Columbus, beginning as early as 2011. His primary location on North Guilford Avenue, in the “Bottoms” neighborhood, served as a hub for manufacturing and selling crack cocaine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and oxycodone. Drummond didn’t rely on legitimate employees; he exploited drug addicts, arming them with firearms and using them as “security” to guard the house, the drugs, and the profits. He also stashed a firearm at his home and in his vehicle, blatantly disregarding the law prohibiting him from possessing weapons due to prior felony convictions for possession of drugs, domestic violence, felonious assault, and two misdemeanor domestic violence convictions.

But Drummond’s operation wasn’t just about drugs. It was built on intimidation and brutal violence. Those who owed him money or failed to meet his expectations faced severe punishment. Court documents detail horrific acts including physical restraint – victims duct-taped to walls or locked in dog cages – choking, pistol-whipping resulting in fractured jaws, and sickening sexual assault, including one woman being anally assaulted with a broomstick. Drummond routinely scouted payday loan locations to identify and target addicts to ensure a steady supply of customers.

The extent of Drummond’s cruelty became clear through numerous letters submitted to the Court. While many victims feared retribution and requested anonymity, the Government presented six statements detailing years of abuse: beatings for insufficient drug sales, predatory targeting of addicts, imprisonment in animal cages, and relentless threats, beatings, and sexual assaults against women who dared to buy drugs elsewhere. “Drummond’s violence in connection with his drug trafficking was so pronounced that dozens of women and community members submitted letters for the Court’s consideration,” stated U.S. Attorney Glassman.

“The defendant has a history of selling drugs, vicious physical assault, and the use of firearms to further his criminal enterprise, despite being prohibited from possessing guns,” added Jonathan McPherson, ATF’s Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division. “He is exactly the kind of violent criminal who needs to be removed from our streets.” Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Noah R. Litton prosecuted the case, with U.S. Attorney Glassman commending the collaborative effort of ATF and the Columbus Division of Police in securing this conviction.