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Ohio man pleads guilty in 'bath salts' drug case
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Federal prosecutors in Wheeling this week secured the first conviction in West Virginia for the distribution of illegal synthetic drugs known as "bath salts."
Steven Kloh, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a racketeering charge in connection with the distribution of the paranoia-inducing chemicals.
Mr. Kloh admitted that he brought chemical compounds containing methylenedioxypyrovalerone and n-methyl-n-ethylcathinone -- commonly called bath salts by dealers and users -- from Columbus to rural Tyler County, W.Va., for resale last September.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has been cracking down on bath salts across the country, saying the chemical compounds mimic the hallucinogenic effects of methamphetamine and Ecstasy.
Mr. Kloh faces up to five years in federal prison.
First Published July 28, 2012 12:00 am
