Cleveland man faces drug and firearms charges

A Cleveland man was indicted on federal firearms and drug charges, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Terrell Howard, 47, was indicted on four counts: being a felon in possession of two firearms and ammunition; possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine; possessing with the intent to distribute marijuana and maintaining a drug house.

Howard possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine base and marijuana on Oct. 19, 2016, according to the indictment.

He also a residence on West 9th Street in Cleveland for the purpose of distributing marijuana, according to the indictment.

Howard possessed a .45 caliber pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and ammunition on Oct. 19, 2016, despite having multiple felony convictions, according to the indictment.

The Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.

If convicted, the court will determine Terrell Howard’s sentence after a review of factors unique to this case, including his prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.