Cleveland Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

CLEVELAND – A Cuyahoga County man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug conspiracy to sell fentanyl, methamphetamine and crack cocaine throughout the Greater Cleveland region.

Murray Foster, 39, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after pleading guilty in April to the following charges:

• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances
• Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

Foster was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment. 

According to court documents, from about April 1 to July 12, 2023, Foster and a co-conspirator intentionally conspired to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, 500 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine, and 500 grams or more of a mixture containing cocaine base (crack).

Among the items that federal agents seized during a search warrant execution of several residences related to the conspiracy were more than 500 fentanyl pills, five pounds of methamphetamine, one kilogram of fentanyl analogues, one kilogram of cocaine, 28 grams of crack cocaine, five handguns, a rifle, a shotgun, more than $19,000 in cash, and a motorcycle. Miscellaneous packaging, drug paraphernalia, and cutting agents were also seized.

Co-defendant Deion Thompson, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy in July and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 5, 2026.

This case was investigated by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Task Force and the FBI Cleveland Division.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian for the Northern District of Ohio.