Mexican national indicted for heroin and cocaine trafficking

A Mexican national was charged with possessing more than six pounds of heroin and two pounds of cocaine, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Claudia Cazarez-Quintero, 37, was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. Quintero possessed three kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of cocaine on Aug. 17, 2016, according to the indictment.

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 violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Duncan Brown following an investigation by the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force and the Westlake Police Department.

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.