Two from Lorain County charged with distributing carfentanil and fentanyl

Two Lorain County men were charged in federal court for crime related to the trafficking of opioids, law enforcement officials said.

Manuel Latorre, 26, of Lorain, was named in a two-count indictment after possessing with intent to sell more than nine grams of carfentanil this year.

Tony O. Carter, 28, of Elyria, was charged in a criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute a mix of fentanyl and heroin. Carter was out on bond from Lorain County Court of Common Pleas when he committed the new offense, according to court records.

The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman, Lorain County Prosecutor Dennis Will, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony, DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon, Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely, Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera and Lorain County Sheriff Sheriff Phil Stammitti of the Lorain County Sheriff’s Department. These charges represent the continuation of a coordinated effort on behalf of federal, state and local law enforcement to target those who sell illegal opioid narcotics in Lorain County.

“The drugs involved in these cases could have wiped out a city block,” Herdman said. “We will continue to work together and seek prison sentences for those who sell the drugs that kill our friends and neighbors.”

“These arrests and indictments make the citizens of Lorain County safer,” said Lorain Police Capt. Roger Watkins.

Among those those previously indicted and prosecuted in federal court as part of this coordinated effort are:

Octavious Smith was sentenced in March 2017 to 20 years in federal prison for distribution of cocaine and heroin and being a felon in possession of a firearm..

Jason Vasquez, 37, of Lorain, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking heroin in Lorain County, as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Anetaeus Spencer, 33, of Lorain, was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition and several firearms, as well as selling heroin and crack cocaine.

Siarres Noble, 29, of Elyria was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl, including fentanyl that caused the death of an Elyria resident. 

Anthony Paul Montoy, 40, of Elyria and Fred Alston, 60, of Elyria were convicted of conspiracy to distribute kilograms of cocaine in Lorain County.  Montoy was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and Alston was sentenced to eight years in federal prison.