3 arrested on cocaine charges

Summary xxx x x x x x x x x xxxxxxx x x x x x x x.
ST. CLAIR -- Three people face drug charges after they were arrested late Wednesday with about11 pounds of suspected cocaine.
Elizabeth Perez, 34, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Marco A. Salinas, 30, and Juan Valencia, 29, both of Phoenix, Ariz., are each charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's task force has been investigating the movement of cocaine from Arizona to northeastern Ohio.
Members of the task force identified a suspected vehicle in the township.
Perez and Salinas were arrested after a traffic stop by a St. Clair Township police unit at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. A search dog indicated the presence of drugs, which resulted in the suspected cocaine being found under the back seat of their car.
The investigation led to the arrest of Valencia at an unidentified local hotel by DEA task force agents, township police and the Columbiana County Drug Task Force.
Each 2.2 pounds of the suspected drug has a wholesale value of about $25,000 and a street value of $100,000.
The three appeared in U.S. District Court in Youngstown on Thursday. They will remain in custody at the Mahoning County jail pending a detention hearing Wednesday in federal court.