Former Columbus police officer admits to dealing fentanyl, taking bribes

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A former Columbus police officer is facing at least 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges in connection with the distribution of fentanyl and for accepting bribes to protect the transportation of cocaine.

Marco Merino, 45, of Columbus, and another police officer, John Kotchkoski, 33, of Marengo, Ohio, conspired to traffic more than eight kilograms of fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Both were arrested by federal agents in September 2021.

Prosecutors say Merino distributed fentanyl to another individual on at least three occasions and accepted $32,500 for approximately one of the kilograms of fentanyl.

In March, April, May, August and September 2021, Merino accepted a total of $45,000 in cash in exchange for protecting the safe transport of at least 47 kilograms of cocaine, prosecutors say. Unbeknownst to Merino, there was no actual cocaine and each of the transactions was controlled by federal law enforcement.

“Unlike the purported cocaine involved in transports, the fentanyl that Merino distributed was real,” U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker said. “Merino swore an oath to serve and protect our community as a law-enforcement officer and instead he conspired to traffic enough fentanyl to kill well over 1 million people.”

Court documents show Merino tried to recruit a confidential informant to traffic drugs with him. Merino promised law-enforcement protection and said he could intervene if other law-enforcement agencies attempted to investigate the informant.

Possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. Federal program bribery is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Charges remain pending against Kotchkoski.

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