The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio stated that 11 people have been sentenced in connection with a major drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported massive amounts of marijuana from California into Ohio.
The operation, led by 34-year-old Cleveland resident Jerry Baker, brought suitcases containing cocaine from Los Angeles to Cleveland, where they were distributed on the city’s east side.
Baker oversaw the group’s operations, which included drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery.
The gang obtained over 600 pounds of marijuana from a supplier in California and laundered narcotics revenues via money orders.
Federal officials determined that the DTO employed “In & Out Tires,” a Cleveland business owned by Baker, as a drug delivery center.
During the inquiry, investigators confiscated firearms, packing materials, bags, and other evidence of narcotics trafficking.
Among those sentenced:
- Jerry Baker – 168 months in prison for multiple drug, money laundering, and firearms offenses.
- Walter Sornoza, 50, of Los Angeles – 108 months for leading the “Empire Genetics” drug network.
- Deshaun Martin, 36, of Cleveland – 87 months for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
- Noblys Garcia, 43, of Studio City, CA – 60 months for drug distribution.
- Keveon Lewis, 44, of Corona, CA – 6 months in prison and 6 months of location monitoring.
- Moniqka Hazzard, 32, of Riverside, CA – 30 days in prison and 7 months of location monitoring.
- Antonio Lanier, 35, of Cleveland – 12 months and 1 day in prison.
- Ajeremiah Baker, 20, of Garfield Heights, OH – 24 months in prison.
- Sidne Spencer, 28, of North Hollywood, CA – 2 years of probation.
- Jerry Baker Sr., 55, of Cleveland – 3 years of probation.
- Herman Wilson, 43, of Katy, TX – 2 years of probation.
The investigation was part of the OCDETF Strike Force Initiative, which aims to dismantle significant criminal organizations.
Multiple federal and local agencies were involved, including the FBI, DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, ATF, US Marshals Service, Cleveland Division of Police, and Los Angeles Police Department.
Margaret A. Sweeney, Assistant United States Attorney, and Brian Lynch, Trial Attorney, prosecuted the case.