This article was sent to me by Judy Bushong Chrismer. D. Michael Crites was the son of Joan Clark Crites and Grandson of Della Bushong Clark. He would be the great grandson of James Alfred Bushong and Julia Marks. ---------------- Unknown newspaper 3 March 1986 --- ASSISTANT ALLEN PROSECUTOR TO HEAD FEDERAL STRIKE FORCE DAYTON (AP) ---- Assistant U. S. attorney D. Michael Crites, who has become well known in the Dayton area as prosecutor on several publicized cases, says he will become head of the new federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force in Columbus. The strike force will cover 31 counties in central, southeastern and eastern Ohio, ranging from Jefferson County in the northeast part of the territory, to Logan County in the northwest, and then south to Gallia County along the Ohio River. Crites, 35, of Troy, said Tuesday he will start traveling to Columbus one day a week beginning next week and gradually increase the time he spends in the capital city. he expects to be working there almost full time by May. However, he said he also will continue prosecuting important cases he has started in Dayton, including a grand jury investigation into alleged improprieties in the local law enforcement system. "I won't back off of that. There are certain investigations I've been in charge of that I won't back off. But this is an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Crites said. Crites, a former assistant Allen County prosecutor and a federal prosecutor since 1983, also has been considered, along with former state Rep,. Clair Ball Jr. of Athens, as a nominee to become U. S. attorney for southeast Ohio, headquartered in Cincinnati. While Crites was picked by state Republican leaders, Ball was picked by the Ohio congressional delegation. No action has been taken on the nomination since last fall. Meanwhile, Anthony Nyktas has been appointed by U. S. District Court as interim U. S. attorney in Cincinnati. Crites said his position in Dayton cannot be filled until a U. S. attorney is appointed by President Reagan. The new head of the strike force declined to specify what types of organized crime he expects to find in southeast Ohio, which is renowned for its raids on marijuana growers, especially in Athens and Meigs counties. "I don't know what's down there, but we're not going to go after that typical type of thing, I think," he said. Although organized crime brings to mind the Mafia, Crites said, "you've got a lot of non-traditional organized crime these days, like those biker gangs." Crites has been a prosecutor for seven years. In addition to servicing as assistant Allen County prosecutor, he served as Lima city prosecutor. He said his advantage as strike force head will be that he can work with local police. He will start in Columbus only as a coordinator among law enforcement agencies, but eventually he expects the strike force to have its own staff. --------------- Thanks to Judy Bushong Chrismer and Submitted by Gloria Neiger Bushong