CLEVELAND — Operation Crazy Train ended Wednesday morning.
The seven-month DEA investigation targeted street level drug dealers, according to the Department of Justice.
Twenty two people have been charged in a 42-count indictment for their role in a conspiracy to sell heroin, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues across Northeast Ohio.
Named in the 42-count indictment includes:
- Joseph P. Gray, Jr., 30
- Malcolm Gibson, 26
- Samuel Gibson, 26
- Mark Evans, 44
- Westley Siggers, 37
- Raqwan Ofield, 22
- Paul Bell, 33
- Larry Jackson, 30
- Ricky Jackson, 29
- Brendan Craig, 29
- Aaron Crosby, 29
- Chino Massey, 30
- Shondell Mack, 28
- Lejon Kidd, Jr., 22
- Da’eon Gray, 22
- Aminah Colvin, 25
- Shanita Jennings, 29
- Leanna Nabulsi, 27
- George Salem, 22
- Jeffrey Auvil, 36
- William Bloomfield, 33
- Christina Gordenier, 42
News 5 cameras were rolling as more than 200 federal agents and local police officers fanned out across Cleveland, Euclid and parts of Lake County.
They had 22 arrest warrants and 15 search warrants. The federal indictment claims Joseph Gray ran a sophisticated drug trafficking organization.
“It does show sophistication operating 24-7, all the customers were in one phone,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Keith Martin.
The traffickers allegedly used a "customer phone" that was passed between members, so that customers could obtain drugs at any hour of the day. Martin added they even allowed customers to pay with an app.
Drugs allegedly sold by the Gray Drug Trafficking Organization were mixed with fentanyl and even carfentanil. Those drugs, prosecutors said, have been linked to several overdoses including some fatal.
“Certain conspirators used code words like casket and OD for the drugs sold,” said US Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Justin Herdman. “The conspirators had knowledge of the poison they were selling."
Drugs, money and weapons were confiscated Wednesday morning.
This is also the first case to come through the Cleveland Strike Force.
According to the indictment, Joseph Gray allegedly led the organization that sold heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, crack cocaine and powder cocaine, concentrating on customers living on East Side of Cleveland, Euclid and Lake County.
Breaking: The drug round up this morning is the first under the OCDETF Strike Force. I reported the strike force coming last year. Cle now one of about 20 nationwide. @WEWS pic.twitter.com/Ol8vm350o1
— Tracy Carloss (@TracyCarloss) March 13, 2019
The base for their operation was in a commercial building on Holmes Avenue in Collinwood, where the drugs were weighed and packaged and the money was divided between the dealers.
Money for the drugs was mostly paid in cash and sometimes through the cash transferring app "Cash App."
The investigation revealed many of the customers came from nearby Lake County.
U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman, DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer and others were present at the news conference.
