A 29-year-old man from Salford has been sentenced following an investigation into drug dealing in Chester.
Kevin Ozemelam from Bury Street in Salford appeared at Chester Crown Court on 27 August and was sentenced to 50 months in prison and was handed a five-year restraining order.
The 29-year-old appeared at court after having previously admitted the drugs charges – concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine, and ecstasy, and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
Ozemelam came to police attention after a mobile phone was left in a taxi and was handed into Chester police station on 5 April 2024.
The chance of good fortune led to officers discovering messages on the phone’s lock screen which indicated drug dealing.
A man attended the police station to pick up the lost phone and was arrested. He explained his friend had asked him to pick it up for him.
The man’s phone was also seized and an investigation into drug dealing was launched.
Officers carried out a warrant at his address and found ecstasy pills, cannabis, and ketamine along with snap bags and digital scales.
The messages on his phone indicated the supply of cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis.
Enquiries led to Ozemelam being arrested on 2 June after being circulated as wanted in connection with the investigation.
He was arrested in Merseyside and taken to Chester where his phone was seized and linked him to the man who tried to collect the phone from the police station.
It appeared there was some coercion into the selling of drugs and the man originally arrested was subsequently considered a victim, with no further action made against him.
Ozemelam was charged with the drugs offences, assault and requiring a person to perform forced of compulsory labour.
He was sentenced to 50 months and was handed a five-year restraining order, after appearing at Chester Crown Court yesterday (August 27)
The charges of requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour and assault by beating were to remain on file, the court heard.
Following the sentencing DI Rupert Morrey said: “Ozemelam losing his phone turned out to be good fortune for our officers but not so for him.
“He is now paying the price for peddling illegal drugs in the community and we have taken a variety of drugs off the streets.
“We will continue to make every effort to rid the streets of illegal drugs and make life difficult for those intent on criminality.”
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