Six People Indicted for Conspiracy that Brought Heroin from Georgia to Youngstown

A 51-count indictment charging six individuals with drug trafficking crimes was unsealed this week, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Joseph P. Reagan, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Detroit office..

Indicted are: Vincent D. Moorer, 31, of Lithonia, Ga.; Melvin Johnson, 30, of Youngstown; Keyonia Moorer, of Akron; John Angelo Smith, 34, of Youngstown; Charity Cousin, of Warren, and Jabbar Spires, 37, of Youngstown.

They are accused of knowingly conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute heroin between 2013 and November 2014.

Vincent Moorer supplied heroin to Johnson for distribution in the Youngstown area. Johnson then supplied heroin to Spires and Smith distribution in Youngstown, according to the indictment

Cousin helped Vincent Moorer transport heroin from Georgia to Ohio, according to the indictment.

Vincent Moorer and Johnson also possessed firearms to protect themselves and their drug proceeds. On September 29, 2014, Vincent Mooerer possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to the indictment.

The indictment further alleges that on or about November 4, 2014, Moorer, possessed a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber pistol, and 15 rounds of ammunition, after having been previously convicted of felonious assault, in the Mahoning County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.

The indictment further alleges that on or about November 4, 2014, Johnson possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SW40VE, .40 caliber pistol; a Glock, model 27, .40 caliber pistol; and 29 rounds of ammunition, after having been previously convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, and felonious assault, in the Mahoning County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.

Moorer, Cousin, Johnson and Keyonia Moorer also conspired and intentionally conducted a series of financial transactions, which transactions involved money from drug proceeds, knowing that the transactions were designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership or control of the drug trafficking proceeds, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David M. Toepfer.

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.