OHIO — A Massillon man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for smuggling nearly 17 pounds of cocaine in checked luggage on a flight from Los Angeles to Cleveland.
William Hartson, 26, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Benita Pearson and will also serve five years of supervised release.
He pleaded guilty to trafficking the drugs, which had an estimated street value of more than $175,000.
According to court records, Hartson and his co-conspirator, Dalvin Rogers, 29, of Cleveland, flew from Los Angeles to Cleveland on March 4, 2024.
A law enforcement canine at the airport alerted authorities to their checked baggage.
When agents searched their luggage, they discovered bricks of cocaine wrapped in wet towels.
Rogers was sentenced on August 29, 2024, to 63 months in prison and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Investigations, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
It was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Cleveland Strike Force, which targets major drug traffickers and criminal organizations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney handled the prosecution.
