Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate's Family Bodyguard Embroiled in Federal Drug Trafficking Scandal
A federal investigation has led to the arrest and charging of Justin Salsburey, a 43-year-old bodyguard employed by the family of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Salsburey and his wife, Ruthann Rankin, were taken into custody last week after authorities discovered a stash of illicit substances at their home, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, MDMA, steroids, and nicotine pouches containing various controlled substances.
According to the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), postal inspectors in Columbus received information about Salsburey's alleged involvement with narcotics from the Logan County Ohio Sheriff's Office in November 2025. The agency subsequently tracked a series of suspicious packages sent to the couple's home, including parcels purchased using cryptocurrency often associated with darknet marketplaces.
In late November, USPIS intercepted a package bound for the couple's residence and discovered approximately 119 grams of counterfeit blue pills that tested positive for fentanyl. Over several months, investigators allowed multiple other suspected parcels containing drugs to be delivered to the home, where Salsburey and Rankin periodically left objects in a small cooler on their porch.
These objects would later be picked up by other individuals, including one who claimed to have purchased Adderall from the couple for $5 per pill. Authorities also found fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA in the cooler, as well as various other controlled substances and steroids at the couple's home during a search warrant execution.
Rankin, who competes in bodybuilding competitions and posts videos of herself online, allegedly told authorities that Salsburey began selling steroids and eventually started selling other drugs. Both Salsburey and Rankin have been charged with federal offenses related to distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The arrest has sparked concern among Ramaswamy's supporters, who described the news as "disturbing" but emphasized that they will cooperate fully with authorities. The family bodyguard was removed from his security detail after being informed of the allegations, and all background checks conducted by the security firm were reportedly thorough.
A federal investigation has led to the arrest and charging of Justin Salsburey, a 43-year-old bodyguard employed by the family of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Salsburey and his wife, Ruthann Rankin, were taken into custody last week after authorities discovered a stash of illicit substances at their home, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, MDMA, steroids, and nicotine pouches containing various controlled substances.
According to the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), postal inspectors in Columbus received information about Salsburey's alleged involvement with narcotics from the Logan County Ohio Sheriff's Office in November 2025. The agency subsequently tracked a series of suspicious packages sent to the couple's home, including parcels purchased using cryptocurrency often associated with darknet marketplaces.
In late November, USPIS intercepted a package bound for the couple's residence and discovered approximately 119 grams of counterfeit blue pills that tested positive for fentanyl. Over several months, investigators allowed multiple other suspected parcels containing drugs to be delivered to the home, where Salsburey and Rankin periodically left objects in a small cooler on their porch.
These objects would later be picked up by other individuals, including one who claimed to have purchased Adderall from the couple for $5 per pill. Authorities also found fentanyl, methamphetamine, and MDMA in the cooler, as well as various other controlled substances and steroids at the couple's home during a search warrant execution.
Rankin, who competes in bodybuilding competitions and posts videos of herself online, allegedly told authorities that Salsburey began selling steroids and eventually started selling other drugs. Both Salsburey and Rankin have been charged with federal offenses related to distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The arrest has sparked concern among Ramaswamy's supporters, who described the news as "disturbing" but emphasized that they will cooperate fully with authorities. The family bodyguard was removed from his security detail after being informed of the allegations, and all background checks conducted by the security firm were reportedly thorough.
this is soooo concerning! I mean, you're already worried about fake news and politicians involved in shady dealings, but when it's one of your own family members... it just feels wrong 
. It's like, how does someone turn from a normal guy to a dealer? Was it stress, was it desperation, or was it just poor life choices? 
I don't know, but the fact that they were selling stuff online and got caught because of a package tracking thingy is wild 
. The steroids and fentanyl are super serious, too - like, those can kill you in minutes 
.
. If someone's selling Adderall for $5 a pop, it sounds like a legit scam 
. But at the same time, I feel bad for Justin and Ruthann - they're people too, you know? They must've been in some kinda trouble to end up like this 
.
. And to Vivek's team... yeah, let's all just take a deep breath and focus on the issues at hand, 'kay? 
so great to see another gov candidate's personal life making headlines... like we didn't already know enough about our public figures' private lives. 
anyway, who needs a family guy when you've got a bodyguard with a questionable side hustle? 
i mean, what's the saying, "you are only as good as your associates"? 
And now we're left wondering if we should even trust the people we hire to protect us. The fact that he was selling steroids too is just icing on the cake... it's just so messed up. 
I'm not saying Vivek is involved or anything (although, let's be real, he's got a lot to lose if his campaign tanks), but this all feels like a setup. What's the motive here? Is Ramaswamy trying to get out of this scandal somehow? 
It's like something out of a movie. But seriously, this is a huge headache for Ramaswamy's campaign and his supporters need to be held accountable for knowing about Salsburey's alleged activities and not saying anything 
. The fact that they used cryptocurrency from darknet marketplaces to buy and sell their stash is just mind-blowing 
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