Friends in Low Places

Former Restaurateur and local Drug Lord Kevin Smith plead guilty today in Federal District Court to felony drug charges. As you may recall, Smith had a marijuana growing operating in Massillon that would make a drug cartel jealous. Over $250,000 worth of drugs were confiscated. Smith could face up to forty years in prison at his sentencing.

Smith, a well known "Friend of the Program," was a former Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club President and Massillon School Board candidate. Smith ran for school board as a team with former school board member Ron Pribich. Kevin Smith was also appointed to the Massillon Zoning Board of Appeals by our Mayor for Life, Frank Cicchinelli. Perhaps Smith wanted his properties rezoned for agricultural use. We also hear that Kevin Smith was quite the Friday Night Poker player.

This tragedy did not have to occur. We could have kept drugs out of our community if only we had listened to the wisdom and intellect that is Massillon School Board Member Marshall Weinberg.

According to Weinberg;
"Recent issues, including an assistant coach and booster club member growing and selling marijuana, could have been avoided, Weinberg said, if the football coach could report directly to the superintendent" (The Independent, March 30, 2010).

So, if only Jason Hall were Massillon Athletic Director, this wouldn't have happened. Thank you, Marshall for your wisdom and vision.

"The Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club has banned member Kevin Smith from all club activities, pending the outcome of Smith's criminal case" (The Independent, February 16, 2010).

The outcome is no longer "pending." Kevin Smith just plead guilty. Time for the Booster Club to make that ban permanent, and officially kick him out. A high school football booster club is no place for a drug kingpin.