Police: Cleveland Man Arrested In Oxford Shooting, Now Tied To Drug Purchase

A 27-year-old Cleveland man remains jailed in Butler County on charges tied to the shooting of two Miami University students earlier this month at an off-campus home, according to a police release.

Oxford police now say the shooting occurred over the sale of $4,000 in marijuana and not the purchase of a Jeep Cherokee as the victims initially told authorities, according to the release.

Patrick J. Belinson is jailed on two counts of complicity to aggravated robbery and two counts of complicity to felonious assault. It could not be immediately determined if a bail amount had been set in the case.

Oxford police detectives are continuing to search for a second man believed to be the gunman who shot and wounded Jared Goldhamer, 20, and Volodymyr Kovalenko, 23, in a home at 201 N. Campus Ave. on Oct. 4. Goldhamer and Kovalenko were both treated for gunshot wounds to the legs and released from area hospitals.

The victims first told investigators that the assailants came to their home to complete the purchase of a Jeep Cherokee bought on Craigslist. Police tied the shooting to drugs in the press release issued Friday afternoon. They did not indicate when or how that changed.

However, authorities found scales, marijuana, $2,000 in cash as well as drug paraphernalia during a search of the house following the shooting, according to a search warrant inventory filed in Butler County Common Pleas Court.

Police said they found a .380-caliber Cobra semi-automatic handgun, a gun magazine, four .380-caliber shell casings as well as a .380-caliber Winchester round during the search. It was unclear if that gun was the same used in the shooting.

Police seized rolling papers, grinders, glass water pipes, a wallet containing multiple IDs and multiple baggies of marijuana, according to the warrant.

Initial police reports said Kovalenko told police he and his housemate were shot during the Jeep transaction.

It could not be immediately determined if the either Kovalenko or Goldhamer will also face charges in the case or if the students will face sanctions at Miami University.

Photo: Patrick J. Belinson, 27, of Cleveland, was charged in the Oct. 4, 2016, robbery and shooting at 201 N. Campus Ave. -- Provided by the Oxford Police Department

Chris Graves is an adjunct professor at Miami University and is teaching a course where Miami University journalism students report and write for this Patch site.

Full Oxford Police Department press release: