Springfield drug dealer sentenced to prison after raid finds drugs, stolen weapons

A Springfield drug dealer has been sentenced to prison after drugs and stolen weapons were found in his apartment during a raid last year.

Mahdi Channels, 22, was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of possession of cocaine, receiving stolen property and possessing criminal tools.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit launched their inquiry into Channels after an investigation into an apartment complex on East High Street near South Belmont Avenue in Springfield in July.

Read the first story: Clark County Sheriff’s Office arrest 3 after raid finds guns, drugs

Clark County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Christopher Clarke said undercover narcotics officers witnessed activity at that address and deputies were able to gather enough evidence to obtain a search warrant.

During the search warrant execution on Sept. 25, deputies found stolen guns and drugs, according to an affidavit filed in Channel’s case.

“During the search, a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, a loaded SKS 7.62 rifle along with a large amount of suspected crack cocaine and pills were in the apartment,” the affidavit said.

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The sheriff’s office also found a 2-year-old child in the home, Clark County Sheriff Deb Burchett said in September.

“There were some weapons just sitting around the area,” Burchett said. “It’s very dangerous with that child running around. A 2-year-old can pick them up at any time.”

Clark County Prosecutor Dan Driscoll said in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday, that during the search warrant deputies also found a digital scale, more than $800 and more than 63 grams of cocaine.

“For perspective, a Snickers candy bar only weighs about 50 grams,” Driscoll said.

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