DRUG PROBE Niles man is among 9 indicted

A Valley man could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of the offenses.
CLEVELAND -- A Niles man is among nine people indicted in U.S. District Court in Cleveland with violations of federal narcotics and firearms laws.
Richard A. Thorp, 45, of Hartzell Avenue, Niles, and eight others are accused of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, according to Emily M. Sweeney, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The others accused are Douglas E. Duncan, 50, of Lake Wylie, S.C.; Nicholas E. Estvanik, 57, of Willoughby Hills, Ohio; William M. Perkins, 49, of Painesville; Joseph Razum, 45, of Mentor; Mark W. Payerchin, 32, of Willoughby; Jeffrey L. Tormoehlen, 50, of Temperance, Mich.; Joel S. Milicia, 51, of Concord, Ohio; and Sam Vittardi, 50, of Strongsville.
The indictment was filed Wednesday and states that the offenses started at least as early as 1996 and continued through March 12.
What they face: If convicted of the charge, the men could be sentenced to between 10 years and life in prison and a $4,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Pinjuh is prosecuting the case. He said authorities believe that the offenses occurred throughout Northeast Ohio.
He declined to comment on how authorities believe the drugs were brought to the area and distributed.
Pinjuh said five of the accused are expected to be arrested today. The other four, including Thorp, were previously arrested. Thorp was arrested March 12 after the U.S. Attorney's office filed a complaint against him for the offense. He was released on bond.
Arraignment dates will be set for the men after the case has been assigned to a judge.
Vittardi, Perkins and Estvanik also are charged individually with four counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, marijuana. Conviction on any of those counts carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and/or a $250,000 fine.
Vittardi is accused of using and carrying a firearm during a trafficking offense. If convicted, he could be sentenced to five years in prison on that charge.
Joint effort: The year-long investigation involved agents and officers of the Caribbean Gang Drug Task Force, Mentor Police Department and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. The task force involves several federal, state and Northeast Ohio law enforcement agencies. Although it's called the Caribbean Gang Drug Task Force, the groups he investigates don't necessarily have a Caribbean connection, Pinjuh said.
The government is seeking forfeiture of $485,795, three vehicles and a motorcycle seized during the investigation. The money the government is seeking in forfeiture includes $197,200 seized from Thorp and $28,780 seized from his home, both on March 12, according to the indictment.