Defendants Allegedly Distributed Fentanyl and Other Deadly Drugs Across the Ohio Valley, officials stated.Federal, state, local, and Italian law enforcement officials announced Tuesday that 11 suspects were charged for their roles in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that involved the importation of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and synthetic cannabinoids into the United States and the distribution of those drugs in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and elsewhere domestically.
According to authorities, several charged defendants were arrested Tuesday and transported to federal court in Cleveland, while the others are in custody elsewhere, including Italy.
“As alleged in today’s indictment, the defendants orchestrated an international conspiracy to peddle fentanyl and other deadly drugs across the Ohio Valley, with complete disregard for the lives of their victims,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco.
“From the confines of the Ohio Penitentiary, Brian Lumbus led an international and interstate drug trafficking organization that brought fentanyl and other, more potent synthetic drugs from overseas factories to the streets of our region,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Several others, both in the United States and outside it, acted in concert with Lumbus to do what he physically could not: obtain, assemble, and repackage those drugs, then mail or deliver them to other conspirators for further distribution.”
“Brian Lumbus led an elaborate drug trafficking network that imported dangerous synthetic drugs and other substances from foreign-based suppliers to then distribute to customers throughout the region,” said Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene of the DEA Detroit Field Division.
The following defendants are charged in the 34-count indictment:
- Brian Lumbus Jr., aka B, 43, of Cleveland
- Giancarlo Miserotti, aka Karl, 51, of Italy
- Brianna Lumbus, 22, of Cleveland
- Kayla S. Goudlock, 25, of North Royalton, Ohio
- Jennifer Robinson, 38, of Tennessee
- Latasha Harris, 40, of Toledo, Ohio;
- Dominique Hammond, 37, of Pittsburgh
- Wanda Ward, 46, of Johnson City, Tennessee;
- Marchello Lumbus, aka Chello, 42, of Cleveland;
- Jessica Cochran, 28, of Lorain, Ohio
- Braisia Lumbus, 23, of Cleveland
Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The defendants were all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Additionally, six defendants were charged with substantive possession with intent to distribute controlled substance offenses.
Nine defendants were charged with interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and eight were charged with an international money laundering conspiracy.
Finally, nine of the defendants were charged with using a communications facility to facilitate a felony drug offense.
According to the indictment, between as early as April 28, 2016, and continuing through Nov. 1 of this year, the defendants did knowingly and intentionally conspire with each other to distribute and possess mixtures and substances containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, along with other narcotics.
While incarcerated in an Ohio state prison, Brian Lumbus Jr. orchestrated the operation, ordering significant quantities of these drugs from Giancarlo Miserotti, an Italian citizen and resident.
Miserotti arranged for kilogram quantities of these controlled substances to be exported from several foreign countries, first to Italy, then to the United States, for redistribution by conspiracy members.
Investigators with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction discovered evidence of the criminal activity of this group in the institution, and they immediately alerted the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the DEA for further investigation.
It was determined that U.S.-based conspirators received the foreign shipments, cut and mixed the drugs, and redistributed them. Other members of the conspiracy used Bitcoin cryptocurrency to pay Miserotti for the drugs.
The DEA, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Egan and Robert J. Kolansky for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.