CINCINNATI— A federal grand jury indicted five people involved in a large scale heroin and cocaine distribution ring, officials said Thursday.
The group allegedly processed, cut, packaged and stored cocaine and heroin in stash houses in the Cincinnati area before distributing the narcotics, according to authorities.
After executing a search warrant, police found a small amount of heroin and cocaine along with narcotics paraphernalia, weapons, ammunition, bullet-proof vests and about $1.5 million cash, officials said.
The defendants Christopher Whitfield, 41, of Cincinnati, Ohio, Tonia Whitfield, 39, of Cincinnati, Ohio and Steven Griffin, 39, of, Cincinnati, Ohio, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin, and five hundred grams or more of cocaine.
Also, Christopher Whitfield, Tonia Whitfield, Dy Shay Anderson, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Icierra Martin-Bronson, 37, of Cincinnati, Ohio were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in an indictment returned in Cincinnati.
“The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs. Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations,” said Kathy A. Enstrom, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office.
Adding,“… indictment is a direct result of the excellent partnership that the IRS, U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, and Cincinnati Police Department has in combating major drug trafficking organizations, which have such a negative impact on our community.”
The indictment also alleges the following information:
- From January 2011 and December 2014, the Whitfields, Anderson, and Martin-Bronson conspired to commit money laundering by making financial transaction.
- They allegedly deposited smaller denominations of currency into bank accounts held in the names of others and deposited cash into bank accounts for the purpose of paying bills
- Obtained cashier’s checks to pay for Christopher Whitfield’s personal and business credit cards
- Used cash to purchase a 2010 BMW and purchased rental properties on behalf of EDC Properties with cash or cashier’s checks.
The defendants were charged with numerous drug-related crimes. Christopher Whitfield also allegedly filed false federal income tax returns with the IRS for the 2012 and 2013 tax years, by underreporting the amount of income he received in each of those years
The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.