Vivek Ramaswamy’s ex-bodyguard arrested for drug trafficking; 261 parcels delivered including meth, fentanyl in Ohio

A former member of GOP leader Vivek Ramaswamy’s security team and his wife have been charged with drug trafficking, federal court records show.

The arrest raised questions about the vetting of staff for the Ohio governor candidate, even though the ex-DOGE lead's campaign says it acted immediately once it learned of the allegations.

The pair, Justin Salsburey (43) and his wife Ruthann Salsburey (38) were charged in a Ohio court. They face counts including conspiracy to distribute and possess fentanyl and methamphetamine.




Justin Salsburey had been employed by ARK Protection, the private security firm contracted to provide Ramaswamy’s personal security detail. Investigators allege that the couple received large quantities of narcotics at their home, leading to the investigation.

According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement officials received information from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office about suspected drug activity. Records revealed that about 261 parcels had been delivered to the Salsbureys’ home from around US. Investigators allege that some packages contained drugs and blue pills that tested positive for fentanyl and were consistent with counterfeit OxyContin, as well as more than 4,000 grams of methamphetamine.

Authorities also tracked Salsburey using GPS devices and saw him and his wife handling packages, according to the affidavit. The complaint warned law enforcement to use caution when approaching the couple because Salsburey worked in security and likely owned firearms.

Surprisngly, the security firm had conducted background checks, including FBI and state checks, but Salsburey had never failed a drug screening.

Ramaswamy is a leading Republican candidate for Ohio governor and is seeking his party’s nomination ahead of the 2026 election. He is expected to run against Democratic candidate Amy Acton. Vivek is also endorsed by US President Donald Trump.

Under new Ohio election rules, candidates may use campaign funds to pay for personal security, and Ramaswamy’s campaign paid ARK Protection $32,604 in 2025 for security services, according to WOSU Public Media.