INDIAN HILL - Police continued their search of a 30-room mansion Friday after a Thursday drug bust there that also involved another Indian Hill residence.

The bust left four people facing drug charges.

Cosmik

Hurst

Isaacs

• Eric Cosmik, 36, of Westwood was charged with possession of crack cocaine. He was found in a home on Cunningham Road when officers searched it Thursday, court records show.

• Candy Hurst, 33, who lives at the Cunningham Road address, was charged with possessing crack cocaine.

• Karen Isaacs, 38, address unknown, was charged with drug abuse and permitting drug abuse.

• Vaughn Montgomery III was charged with drug abuse and permitting drug abuse, Indian Hill Police Chief Will McQueen said.

Mr. Montgomery owns the Cunningham Road home, but was found in the 30-room residence on Fawn Meadow Lane when officers searched it, the chief said.

Indian Hill Rangers and officers from the Hamilton County Police Chiefs Association Strategic Weapons and Tactics team raided the two homes shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday.

An unknown quantity of crack cocaine and several weapons, including guns and knives, were recovered from the two homes, the chief said.

The raids were part of a two-month investigation by Rangers. The investigation is continuing, the chief said.

Doctor pleads guilty to insurance fraud

A former Cincinnati chiropractor was put on probation Friday for committing about $400,000 worth of insurance fraud in 1998 and 1999.

Dr. Vincent Denittis was originally indicted on 15 counts of insurance fraud, but pleaded guilty to two, plus another count of fraud against the state workers compensation system, said Sgt. Russ Neville of the Cincinnati Police Department's pharmaceutical diversion unit. He said the total amount was about $400,000.

Dr. Denittis, 31, of Chagrin Falls, was sentenced Friday by Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Norbert Nadel.

Sgt. Neville said officers spent thousands of hours investigating, along with the state chiropractic and Ohio Workers Compensation boards. The division works on cases involving pharmaceuticals or medical professionals.

Dr. Denittis had offices in Roselawn and Colerain Township, Sgt. Neville said, but has since closed them.

Honorees sought for Imagemaker awards

Applause! Magazine is searching for this year's Imagemakers.

Nominations, due Monday, can be made for individuals who have made a difference in a community or organization in the past year.

The 13th Annual Imagemaker Awards is an opportunity to celebrate those who have positively affected people's lives through their contributions, visions and actions.

Last year, finalists represented 32 ethnic, religious and cultural groups.

Those interested can nominate a friend, neighbor, colleague or associate for the 2003 Imagemaker Awards who have made a difference in their chosen fields.

Nomination forms are available at www.channelcincinnati.com or by calling the Applause! office at 761-6900.

Categories are: Advocacy, Entertainment, Arts, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Medicine/Health, Corporate Achievement, Public Service, Education, Research/Technology and Sports.

Fostoria official trades job for levy

FOSTORIA - A school superintendent is keeping her promise to step down after voters approved a levy earlier this year.

A year ago, Sharon Stannard was worried that voters had turned down a tax levy three times because they didn't like her.

So she offered them a deal: Pass the levy Feb. 5, and she would quit at the end of 2002.

She's keeping her word. Her last day is Dec. 20.

"It's what I call bittersweet," said Ms. Stannard, 60.

She will retire after nearly four decades in education.

"It was a very difficult decision," she said.

"I have enjoyed my job very much. I really had not thought about retiring at that particular point."

She has been superintendent in Fostoria since 1993 and has worked in the northwest Ohio district since 1973.

Slaying suspect's body found in Indiana barn

TROY - The body of a man suspected in the Dec. 2 slaying of a woman in this western Ohio city was found in a barn just west of the Indiana-Ohio line, authorities said Friday.

The body of Jeffery Hickman, 43, of Germantown, was found by search dogs Thursday in the Randolph County (Ind.) barn after his vehicle was discovered nearby, said police Capt. C.A. Adams.

An autopsy was being performed.

The body of Doris Smith was found in her home by a roommate. Ms. Smith's 18-month-old daughter was in the home unharmed.

Capt. Adams said Ms. Smith and Mr. Hickman had a personal relationship. He would not release any additional information.

Troy is about 20 miles north of Dayton.

Robbery Task Force switches routines

Cincinnati's Robbery Task Force spent Friday the 13th on a citywide effort to target drug dealing.

About 30 officers worked in other districts, putting different officers in areas where dealers don't know them.

Sgt. Stacie Huellemeier, supervisor of the Violent Crime Squad in District 3, suggested the idea as a different approach to the same problems, mostly drug-related, that all five district squads deal with every day.

Some officers worked in uniform looking for people wanted on outstanding warrants.

More than three dozen people showed up in City Council chambers Monday to ask the law and public safety committee for more action against open-air drug dealing.

The officers Friday worked in Northside, Winton Terrace and Price Hill, among other neighborhoods.

The task force, in effect since the day after Thanksgiving, counts more than 225 arrests so far.

It continues through Jan. 11.

Compiled from staff and wire reports