BY SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A federal jury in Cincinnati on Wednesday rejected a defense description of the case as "willy-nilly half-truths" spouted by "paid rats" and convicted Warren County residents Randall and Sheila Neuhausser of taking part in one of the area's largest drug rings.
The seven-woman, five-man jury took only three hours to find Mr. Neuhausser, 45, guilty of conspiring to possess and distribute marijuana and cocaine throughout the region.
It also handed down two guilty verdicts against his ex-wife, Mrs. Neuhausser, 34 -- one for conspiracy, the other for traveling across state lines to further the drug operation.
They both face a sentence between 10 years to life in prison and a $4 million fine. Mr. Neuhausser is being held without bond until sentencing. U.S. District Judge S. Arthur Spiegel ordered Mrs. Neuhausser to remain free on bond. She's living in Mr. Neuhausser's Union Township home where they lived before their April arrests.
The five-day trial saw testimony from a slew of government witnesses who said the $5.5 million-a-year operation had brought more than 720 kilos of cocaine and 3 tons of marijuana to the area since 1993. Three of the witnesses pleaded guilty to taking part in the conspiracy and will be sentenced later this year.
They told the jury Mr. Neuhausser supplied the local ring with marijuana from California and cocaine from Florida. Others were recruited to bring marijuana in black duffel bags back from California in a Ford Taurus Mr. Neuhausser bought with cash.
Mr. Neuhausser himself drove the cocaine from Florida stashed in a hollowed-out tailgate of a pickup, they said.
A pre-dawn raid last spring at Mr. Neuhausser's home found the altered truck with cocaine traces in the tailgate and a black duffel bag in the garage with traces of marijuana.
Witnesses also said they brought large bundles of money to the house and left it with Mrs. Neuhausser.
Defense attorney Merlyn Shiverdecker attacked the witnesses in closing arguments Wednesday, calling them "liars" trying to cash in on the government's "get-out-of-jail" card. He said they were paid for their testimony with promises of freedom.
But to some jurors, their detailed stories cemented the case. "Their testimony was convincing," said a 62-year-old West Chester man who did not want to give his name.
Juror Kira Laufman, 27, of Anderson Township said she thought it was Mr. Neuhausser's involvement with the various drug automobiles that sealed it.
The jury struggled on convicting Mrs. Neuhausser, but had no problem with Mr. Neuhausser, she said. "Two or three of us were in tears when we finally decided (about Mrs. Neuhausser)," she said.
The Neuhaussers had no reaction as the verdicts were read, though Mrs. Neuhausser's eyes were teary outside the courtroom. She had no comment.
Mr. Shiverdecker and Mrs. Neuhausser's attorney, Philip Pitzer, said they would appeal but would not comment further.
Assistant U.S. attorney William Hunt also left without comment. Ms. Laufman said the evidence stacked up. "To us, it seemed overwhelming."
