35 individuals charged as federal and local law enforcement continue dismantling alleged drug trafficking organizations in Ohio

Justin E. Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, today announced that a federal grand jury in Cleveland returned four separate multi-count drug indictments charging 35 individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances in the Mansfield, Ohio area.  The first indictment alleges that from in or around June 2017 and continuing to in or around January 2020, JAMES YELTON (age 33, from Mansfield, Ohio); CHARLES ANDERSON (age 64, from Mansfield, Ohio); NICHOLAS BALLARD (age 29, from Mansfield, Ohio); ELIJAH BOND (age 25, from Mansfield, Ohio); CARLY DAUGHERTY (age 25, from Lexington, Ohio); WILBERT GILLIARD (age 40), JAMARION GRILLIER, (age 22); TERRIUNTAE HAMMOCK; (age 26, from Mansfield, Ohio); LUCINDA HARDIN (age 36, from Mansfield, Ohio); TERELL HARRIS (age 27, from Mansfield, Ohio); DARNELL HILL (age 40, from Chicago, Illinois); DARNEL JACKSON (age 35, from Mansfield, Ohio); BLAKE JENKINS (age 29, from Mansfield, Ohio); TRAVON JOHNSON (age 28, from Mansfield, Ohio); RODERICK JONES (age 44); GERALD NIXON (age 31, from Mansfield, Ohio); ERNEST PARKS (age 26, from Mansfield, Ohio); MALIQUE SCHAD (age 24, from Mansfield, Ohio); TORRENCE STANFORD (age 22, from Mansfield, Ohio); DARIAN STEWART (age 24, from Mansfield, Ohio); DION WALKER (age 52, from Mansfield, Ohio); DEREK WILLIAMS (age 21, from Mansfield, Ohio); KRISTOPHER ZAHNISHER (age 27, from Mount Vernon, Ohio), conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, carfentanil, and marijuana in the Mansfield, Ohio area.

The second indictment alleges that from in or around December 2015 and continuing to in or around February 2019, JOHN STEVENSON (age 47, from Detroit , Michigan); MARLON BROOKS (age 48, from Mansfield, Ohio); SEAN MOORE (age 49, from Mansfield, Ohio); JAMES HAMILTON (age 52, from Bellville, Ohio);DANIEL SHINGLETON (age 54, from Mansfield, Ohio), conspired to distribute and posses with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and oxycodone in the Mansfield, Ohio area.

The third indictment alleges that from in or around October 2018 and continuing to in or around October 2019, ANTOINE WADE (age 42, from Mansfield, Ohio); TYLER WIREMAN (age 24, from Mansfield, Ohio); JOSHUA KABER (age 40, from Mansfield, Ohio); SHEENA KABER (age 37, from Mansfield, Ohio): KASSIE COUCH (age 32, from Mansfield, Ohio), conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base (“crack”) in the Mansfield, Ohio area.

The fourth indictment alleges that from in or around February 2019 and continuing to in or around December 2019, ANTOINE WADE (age 42, from Mansfield, Ohio); TYLER WIREMAN (age 24, from Mansfield, Ohio); JOSHUA KABER (age 40, from Mansfiled, Ohio); SHEENA KABER (age 37, from Mansfield, Ohio), and KASSIE COUCH (age 32, from Mansfield, Ohio), conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and U-47700 in the Mansfield, Ohio area.

These indictments are only charges and are not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to these cases, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ roles in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations.  In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the four indictments was conducted and aided by the FBI, United States Marshals Service, DEA, ATF, Metropolitan Richland County Enforcement Unit (METRICH), Mansfield Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mount Vernon Police Department, Ohio Department of Public Safety, Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force (MVLETF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Richland County Prosecutors Office .  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Vasile C. Katsaros and Jason Matthew Katz.