A Streetsboro man is facing federal charges after being caught running a narcotics operation from a property on State Route 303, stockpiling drugs and an arsenal of firearms. Theodore Elenniss, 39, was indicted on one count of maintaining a drug premises and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, according to U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon for the Northern District of Ohio.
Elenniss allegedly used the State Route 303 location to manufacture, distribute, and use controlled substances, including marijuana, amphetamine salts, Xanax, and Alprazolam. The indictment paints a picture of a sustained operation, not a one-time bust—authorities say the setup was deliberate, hidden in plain sight on a busy corridor in Portage County.
On September 28, 2016, agents discovered a cache of weapons during the investigation. Elenniss possessed a Remington model 788 rifle, an AMT “Back Up” .380 caliber pistol, a Mossberg 12 gauge shotgun, a Savage Mark II .22 caliber rifle, and a Noble Company model 235 .22 caliber rifle—along with corresponding ammunition. All were in his possession despite a prior felony conviction.
That 2005 conviction, handed down by the Portage County Court of Common Pleas, bars Elenniss from legally owning or possessing any firearm or ammo. Prosecutors stress that the arsenal wasn’t decorative—it was accessible and operational within an active drug operation, raising the stakes of the charges.
If convicted, Elenniss faces a sentence determined by the court after weighing his criminal history, role in the offenses, and the nature of the violations. While the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, federal guidelines mean even non-violent drug and weapons charges can lead to significant prison time.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer, following a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Portage County Drug Task Force. An indictment is not a conviction—Elenniss is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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