Former North Ridgeville football star Demario McCall to get prison term for trafficking drugs

A North Ridgeville man — a former Lorain County high school football standout who spent six years with the Ohio State Buckeyes — is headed to prison for at least seven years after pleading guilty to multiple felony drug charges. Demario McCall, 28, of Cook Road, pleaded guilty Monday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to felony charges in two cases brought by Lorain County police in the past year. Sentencing is Sept. 17 in Judge Christopher Rothgery's courtroom. McCall pleaded guilty to trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, possession of a fentanyl-related compound, trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs, receiving stolen property and possession of criminal tools, all felonies with firearm specifications, in a 2024 case. The sentence in that case was jointly recommended by prosecutors and the defense. The Lorain County Prosecutor's Office dismissed no charges in the plea agreement, only major drug offender specifications to two charges that could have added additional, mandatory time to McCall's prison sentence. McCall also must forfeit three handguns and a 12-gauge shotgun to authorities in that case, according to court records. In a second case filed Aug. 15 in Rothgery's court, McCall initially pleaded not guilty — then on Monday changed his plea to guilty — to charges of trafficking in cocaine, possession of cocaine, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Defense attorney Michael Marein said Rothgery promised to honor the plea agreement as long as McCall isn't arrested and doesn't violate the conditions of his bond before Sept. 17. Marein said he would reserve most of his comments for McCall's sentencing, but "I think the world of Demario." "Anyone who has met him, he's such a nice person, such a delight to be around," Marein said, calling the situation "incredibly unfortunate" and "a huge fall from grace" for his client. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Chris Pierre said in the 2024 drug case, McCall "engaged in various controlled buys," meaning drug deals with undercover police officers or confidential police informants. Police then served search warrants on his North Ridgeville residence where they found "a large amount" of drugs including cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine. Four guns, one of which had been reported stolen, were seized Pierre said. While facing that charge, McCall was again arrested by police and caught with more drugs, he said. Detectives with the North Ridgeville Police Department and officers with the Eastern Lorain County Emergency Response Team — the Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville SWAT team — assisted the Elyria Police Department with a search warrant April 18 at McCall's home on Cook Road. That case arose from the monthslong "Operation Genesis" that ended in April with 20 arrests, the seizure of 215 grams of fentanyl, 79 grams of cocaine, 10 grams of meth and four firearms, Elyria police said at the time. McCall is on probation in a 2024 felony case in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, where in April he pleaded guilty to failure to comply and drug possession, both felonies. Judge Nancy Fuerst sentenced McCall to two years community control, also known as probation, which will include random drug screening, other restrictions on his freedom and a $500 fine, according to court records. The North Olmsted Police Department caught McCall with fentanyl, heroin and benzodiazepines during a traffic stop on his motorcycle in that city on July 29, 2024. He forfeited a Ruger handgun, ammunition and $191 cash in that case, according to court records. A probation violation in the Cuyahoga County case could send McCall to prison for up to another three years, according to court records. A first-team All-Ohio high school football honoree in 2014, McCall helped North Ridgeville reach the playoffs that year. He still holds the Lorain County record for the most rushing yards in a single game, 445 against Elyria Catholic. McCall graduated from OSU in 2021, having played both offense and defense for the Buckeyes. The NFL's Chicago Bears invited him to a rookie minicamp in 2022 but he didn't make the team. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.