19 people charged in Ohio drug operation indictment

OHIO — Nineteen individuals have been indicted in connection with a large-scale drug trafficking ring operating out of Cleveland and across Northeast Ohio, federal officials announced Thursday.

A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio returned a 29-count indictment alleging that the group, which includes residents from Cleveland, its suburbs, and as far away as Florida and North Carolina, was involved in distributing large quantities of controlled substances — primarily cocaine — between October 2023 and December 2024.

Those charged include Derek Brantley, Juan Johnny Colon, Luis Joel Rondon, Sydney Anthony, Ryan Bell, Mark Byrd, Nicholas Calvert, Jocelyn Dolan, Antonio Greenlee, Andre Jenkins, Melanie Crespo, Jordan Marsh, Nicholas Malusky, Sean Masters, Brandon Payne, Lee Pomales, Mason Pulvino, Martha Rios, and Kalem Watts.

According to court documents, the group used stash houses throughout Cleveland to store and package cocaine, methamphetamine, and firearms.

Authorities also uncovered evidence of attempts to infiltrate the Ohio prison system with drugs.

Several illegal firearms and thousands of dollars in cash were seized during the investigation.

Federal and local law enforcement agencies carried out coordinated arrests as part of the operation, which falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative.

The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division with assistance from multiple federal, state, and local partners. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Corts is prosecuting the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.