A Columbus man is behind bars, charged with aggravated drug trafficking, while an Ironton woman is also in jail, charged with permitting drug abuse on her property.

Tyree L. Hancock, 22, of 1518 Harvard, Columbus, was arrested and charged with aggravated trafficking, a first-degree felony. Fannie J. Campbell, 42, of 40 Yellow Branch Road, Ironton, was arrested for permitting drug abuse on her property.

Ironton police officers and officials from the Lawrence County Drug Task Force received information that a Columbus man was in town dealing drugs, said Ironton police detective Capt. Chris Bowman.

At 7:18 p.m. Monday, officers spotted Campbell's car, 2003 Ford Focus, near the intersection of Fifth and Madison streets, Bowman said. Hancock was riding in the car. Campbell allegedly ran a stop sign, giving police probable cause to stop her vehicle. Bowman said police found 23 grams of crack cocaine in the back seat - in plain view. This has a street value of $2,300, he said. Police also recovered a "sizable amount" of cash on Hancock's person. The two were transported to the Lawrence County Jail.

Campbell, who allegedly brought Hancock from Columbus to Ironton, was charged with permitting drug abuse on her property because the crack cocaine was found in her car, Bowman said. Permitting the type of activity she allegedly did is given the same treatment as if she had allowed this in her home.

"If you let someone use your house, you will be charged. If you let someone use your car, you will be charged," Bowman said.

On Aug. 12, Ironton police and members of the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, operated through the Lawrence County Prosecutor's Office, arrested two Columbus area men, Keleci Hill, 26, of Pinkerton and Antwan M. Winbush, 22, of Columbus and charged them with trafficking in crack cocaine.

The 144 grams of crack cocaine recovered at that time was one of the largest finds local authorities had encountered within a 24-hour period. It has a street value of $22,000. Both Hill and Winbush were described by authorities as "upper-level dealers."

Bowman said he is not sure whether or not Hancock is linked to Hill and Winbush, but said that Hancock was out on bond pending a trial for drug trafficking in Columbus.