Police chief still has confidence in officers

ZANESVILLE , OHIO— "Zanesville Police Chief Eric Lambes said he is confident that no more officers with his department will be charged with conspiracy or drug charges as a third officer was arrested this morning.

Donald E. Peterson, 33, who has been with the department for a couple of years, Lambes said at a press conference at the Muskingum County Sheriff's Office, was arrested early this morning along with four other individuals on two federal charges.

"The Zanesville Police Department is a dedicated group of officers," Lambes said. "I still lay claim to that."

The others, Peterson's wife, Serritha D. Peterson, 29; Shelly M. Tyson, 32; Steven Gibson, 65 and Gary Moody, 50, were also taken into custody this morning by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and deputies with the Muskingum County Sheriff's office and all were transported to the Franklin County Jail for processing.

Muskingum County Sheriff's Office Col. Bryan Hoover said his office has been investigating Peterson since two former Zanesville police officers were arrested on federal charges in October.

Lambes said he became aware of the investigation into Peterson shortly before Sean Beck and Trevor Fusner, were arrested.

"It's really not news to the Zanesville Police officers or the administration," Lambes said.

But, Hoover said this case is not connected to Sean Beck or Trevor Fusner, who both resigned from the police department in late October.

Another officer, Chad Mills, of the Genesis HealthCare Systems Police, was also arrested along with Fusner and Mills.

The Petersons, Tyson, Gibson and Moody are all scheduled to be arraigned in a federal court this afternoon.

When asked how he could be so sure that no more officers would be charged when it seems as if most of the force is being investigated, Chief Lembes responded that all he meant was his satisfaction that conspiracy and drug charges wouldn't be brought against his force, but that there does remain "A whole passle fulla other crimes that some a' these boys might have done that ain't related to drugs and the like, so I stand by my orginal statement."