MANSFIELD -- Thirty-nine people were indicted in federal court for their alleged roles in two separate conspiracies to obtain large amounts of heroin, and in some cases, other drugs, from outside of Richland County -- as far away as California -- and sell them in the Mansfield area, according to law enforcement officials.
As of 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, 27 of the 39 charged have been arrested and were in custody.
Eighteen people are charged in a 41-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
Authorities identified the defendants as: Lennon Hayes, 44 of Mansfield; Roberto Calderon, 36, of Chicago; Demond Steele, 45, of Mansfield; Tara Jones, 29, of Mansfield; Edward Jones, 39, of Chicago; Mazzarney Hardy, 39, of Maywood, Illinois; Michael Ginn, 28, of Mansfield; Steve Hollins, 42, of Mansfield; Cupree Howard, 39, of Mansfield; Marcus Gannon, 32, of Mansfield; Ashley Kriedman-Crider, 28, of Mansfield; Rickell Fields, 24, of Mansfield; Marrico King, 40, of Mansfield; Terrance Jones, 27 of Mansfield; Naizsljm Brookins, 34, of Mansfield; James Alexander, 32, of Mansfield; Vanness Oliver, 39, of Mansfield; and Jacquis Mordica, 26, of Mansfield.
In a different case, 21 people are charged in a 33-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and marijuana.
The defendants in this case were identified as: Kevin Burton, 41, of Mansfield; Antoine Jefferson, 39, of Mansfield; Damon Slaughter, 41, of Westerville; Lewis Pinkston, Jr., 40, of Mansfield; Brian Nowell, 44, of Mansfield; Dorthea Burton, 34, of Mansfield; Larry Ferguson, 41, of Louisville, Kentucky; Ericka Fortner, 27, of Mansfield; Shadawn Smith, 25, of Mansfield; Corey Motley, 36, of Mansfield; Bronson Jones, 43, of Mansfield; Deon Gamble, 34, of Mansfield; Willie Feagin, 62, of Mansfield; Jon Martel Jefferson, 30, of Mansfield; Keith Maddox, 36, of Mansfield; Amanda Huffman, 28, of Mansfield; Michael Sloan, 60, of Mansfield; Shanita Crawford, 27, of Mansfield; Cardoves Haslett, 34, of Mansfield; Skakela Williams, 23, of Mansfield and Joe Ware, 20, of Mansfield.
In the first listed conspiracy charge, Lennon Hayes and Edward Jones allegedly obtained large amounts of heroin from Roberto Calderon in Chicago and then sold it in the Mansfield area. Hayes and Jones are accused of selling the heroin to other dealers.
Hayes, Jones and others used firearms and other weapons to protect their drug trafficking activities, according to the indictment.
In the second listed alleged conspiracy, heroin, cocaine and marijuana was reportedly obtained from suppliers in Columbus and California, then resold in Mansfield and Louisville, Kentucky.
The indictments are a result of investigations by the FBI, DEA, METRICH Enforcement Task Force, Mansfield Police, Richland County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshal Service.
