Ex-Deputy Pleads Guilty in Federal Case

Former Deputy Pleads Guilty in Drug Case

A former deputy with the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office has entered a guilty plea in a case involving charges of interfering with an investigation into a man suspected of selling drugs. Kip Danks, who previously served as a deputy, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony in federal court on Tuesday. Misprision is a legal term that refers to knowingly concealing a felony and failing to report it to authorities.

The details of the plea agreement were not disclosed publicly on Tuesday. The charge against Danks was initially filed on January 10, but the criminal complaint remained under seal until July 18. This secrecy may have been due to the sensitive nature of the investigation and the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies.

According to an affidavit that accompanied the bill of information, investigators from the FBI and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force were serving a search warrant at a home on Glenwood Avenue on January 9, 2023. The search was part of a drug investigation targeting Hure Orr, a 60-year-old individual. The affidavit did not specify whether Danks was present during the search.

During the search, law enforcement discovered a loaded .38-caliber handgun in a car and a bag containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. These findings were significant, as they indicated the presence of both illegal drugs and firearms, which are often associated with drug trafficking activities.

An important piece of evidence came from a wiretap that captured a phone call between Orr and Danks. In this call, Orr asked Danks about parts of the warrant and informed him about the gun that had been found. Orr also inquired if he could be charged for possessing the gun, given his prior criminal convictions that prohibit him from owning a firearm. Danks responded by telling Orr, “They got to prove it’s yours. I mean, how are they going to know it’s yours?” He also advised Orr not to speak on the phone, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit alleged that Danks was attempting to assist Orr and prevent law enforcement from gathering evidence against him. It further stated that Danks later contacted a task force member to obtain information about the investigation and whether the gun had been linked to Orr. He also tried to divert attention away from Orr during this time.

Danks took a call from Orr the following day and shared information he had learned from the task force member. Investigators eventually interviewed Orr and convinced him to participate in a recorded call with Danks. However, Orr warned Danks about the scheme before the call took place.

Danks was interviewed on August 10, 2023, and denied telling Orr to stay off the phone. He also expressed resignation to the idea that investigators would not believe him. Orr later admitted to investigators in February 2024 that Danks had warned him to avoid using the phone and that he interpreted this as a sign that the phone was tapped. As a result, Orr obtained a new phone.

Orr had been under investigation by the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force since July 2021. He was identified as a drug distributor between July 2022 and February 2023 and was known to carry a gun. A federal criminal complaint was filed on February 12, 2024, charging Orr with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was sentenced on January 17 to 54 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to the charge.

Danks is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19. According to court records, he was released on a $20,000 bond.