Four Cleveland men indicted for their roles in a conspiracy in to sell large quantities of cocaine in Greater Cleveland

Four Cleveland men were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy in to sell large quantities of cocaine in Greater Cleveland.

Named in the seven-count indictment are: Angel Rios, 36; Jamie Hernandez-De La Paz, 37; Felix Cruz, 37, and Edwin M. Tavarez, 44. Each is indicted with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilogram of cocaine.

Rios and Cruz are charged with maintaining a drug house on Hodgson Avenue which they used to store and sell marijuana.

De La Paz is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cruz is charged with a being a felon in possession of a firearm. He possessed a Glock pistol and ammunition on February 1 despite a previous drug conviction, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit two firearms and nearly $100,000 in cash seized during the investigation.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police and Ohio State Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Darden and Patrick Burke.

A charge is only an allegation 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.