NEW CUMBERLAND — Five Tri-State Area residents are being held in the West Virginia Northern Regional Jail after being arrested in Hancock County Wednesday as part of a months-long investigation into suspected drug trafficking in the area.

According to information released Thursday morning by Hancock County Sheriff Scott Gittings, a several search warrants were executed by representatives of the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force at locations in the Newell area Wednesday, leading to the arrests of Robert Francis Mitchell Cornman, 56, of Newell; Knight Codey Salyers, 31, of Newell; Nicholas John Keller, 32, of Newell; Randy Lee Leasure, 36, of New Cumberland; and Zackery James Strub, 31, of East Liverpool.

As part of the investigation, Gittings said, law enforcement seized amounts of fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine and illegal firearms.

Cornman faces two counts of manufacturing or possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and is being held on a $50,000 surety/cash bond.

Salyers is being charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and one count of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I or Schedule II narcotic from Wednesday’s arrest. According to Hancock County Magistrate Court records, he also faces a charge of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I or Schedule II narcotic from Monday. Salyers is being held at a total of $125,000 bond.

Keller is charged with one count of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver a Schedule I or Schedule II narcotic, and one count of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and is being held on a $75,000 bond.

Leasure faces one count of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver, with a $25,000 bond.

Strub has been charged with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance, and one count of manufacturing or possession with intent to deliver Sched I or II narcotic. He is being held on a $75,000 bond.

All five are scheduled for arraignment before Hancock County Magistrate Matthew Harvey next Thursday.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police also were involved in the investigation.