UPDATE: ZPD-Sheriff: Largest Heroin Bust In Local History

The Zanesville Police Department and the Muskingum County Sheriff’s office Friday announced they made the largest heroin bust in the history of Muskingum County.

It took place at 807 Larzelere Avenue Thursday morning and resulted in the arrest of 36 year old Timothy Matson who is also known as “world”. Sheriff Matt Luts said that this is a long term investigation also resulting in the seizure of $105,000 in heroin, $25,000 in methamphetamine, $3,000 in marijuana, $18,500 in U.S. currency, one semi-automatic handgun and one vehicle.

“This would be considered one of our larger heroin busts in this area, in this community. Everyone is concerned with the rise in the heroin epidemic that we are seeing and this would constitute a very large seizure of drugs for a community this size,” said Paul Cortright the Commander of the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force.

Matson is a repeat drug trafficking offender and was the subject of an investigation in 2009 when authorities seized more than 70 unit doses of heroin. Lutz said this bust is nearly 40 times that amount.

“To work on a case and know that we took a large supplier of heroin off of our streets, that was 2600 unit doses. It’s not uncommon that it could’ve went to 2600 people. Heaven forbid if too many of those unit dosages went to one person and on they could’ve and died” said Sheriff Matt Lutz.

Muskingum County Prosecutor Mike Haddox said Matson was charged with one count of possession of drugs with major drug offender and gun specifications. Another 2 counts of possession of drugs while in possesion of a firearm and one count of having a weapon while under a disability. If Matson is convicted on all counts he faces up to 26 years in prison.