COLUMBUS, OH – A Chillicothe woman has pleaded guilty to money laundering charges, admitting to her role in assisting a drug trafficking operation run by two Chillicothe brothers who sourced narcotics from Mexico and Arizona. Lazae Lett, 24, of Chillicothe, admitted in U.S. District Court to laundering drug proceeds to Sinaloa, Mexico, to facilitate further drug purchases by Dillon Barillaro, 31.
Lett confessed to sending multiple approximately $2,000 money orders via Western Union from Walmart and Kroger locations in Chillicothe. Dillon Barillaro provided the illicit funds and directed her on recipient names and payment amounts, driving her to these locations to conduct the transactions in quick succession. Lett faces up to 20 years in prison.
The case also involved Todd Michael Fulkerson, 42, of Columbus, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl and cocaine. In February 2024, Fulkerson traveled to Arizona at the request of Caleb Barillaro, 30, to transport kilogram quantities of drugs back to Ohio for distribution in Chillicothe and the surrounding areas. He was recruited for his military experience to provide security during the trip.
In Arizona, Caleb Barillaro purchased two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 in cash. The drugs were concealed in a cooler within Fulkerson’s vehicle. Law enforcement surveillance tracked their return journey. When melting ice damaged some of the drugs, Caleb Barillaro discarded them along the roadside, fearing surveillance. Fulkerson also faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Barillaro brothers have already pleaded guilty to federal narcotics crimes, facing potential sentences of 10 years to life in prison.
The investigation, part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide Department of Justice initiative targeting drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations, involved the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Chillicothe Police Department.
“This case highlights the interconnectedness of drug trafficking operations, from local street-level sales to international cartel connections,” said Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers. “We are committed to working with our federal partners to dismantle these networks and protect our community.”
Sentencing for Lett and Fulkerson will be determined by the court at future hearings.
