COLUMBUS, Ohio — A woman is accused of sending photos of a confidential case file that helped her cousin avoid arrest in a Columbus drug trafficking case.
Lajuana Ann Kelley was charged with obstructing, influencing and impeding an official proceeding.
Kelley, who was an employee of the Franklin County Public Facility Management, was cleaning the Franklin County Sheriff's Office's SWAT building in December 2023, when she recognized a photograph of her cousin, Charles Allen. Allen was under federal investigation for allegedly running a drug trafficking operation in the Columbus area.
During an interview last month, Kelley told federal investigators she took a photo and sent it to Allen's girlfriend but not directly to Allen. She added that she knew the girlfriend sent the message to Allen.
Court records state that investigators looked through Kelley’s conversation with Allen’s girlfriend and found that Kelley asked her to delete the text of the file.
When asked about deleting the text, Kelley told investigators that she shouldn’t have had the information and that it shouldn’t have been sent from her phone.
After further review, investigators learned that Kelley sent the photos to Allen’s girlfriend on Dec. 7 — the day before Allen’s attorney contacted federal court about him surrendering following a monthslong investigation.
Investigators also believe that when Kelley sent the photos of Allen’s file, it made him aware that a federal arrest warrant was issued and allowed him to evade law enforcement for approximately 48 days.
Allen was arrested on Jan. 17 in Delaware. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute a detectable amount of fentanyl and cocaine, and distribution or manufacturing in or near a school zone.
