Federal judge sentences men in Youngstown East Side, Campbell drug ring

CLEVELAND — A federal judge has sentenced a multitude of defendants in a heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy that sold the drugs on Youngstown’s East Side and in Campbell.

U.S. District Court Judge Dan Aaron Polster pronounced sentence on 17 defendants today. One defendant drew a 10-year prison term. All other defendants drew prison terms of less than five years, or they were placed on probation.

The defendants were among 25 Youngstown-area residents named in a 61-count federal indictment a federal grand jury issued last June. All have entered guilty pleas to one or more counts in the indictment.

An additional 37 defendants were indicted on state charges, ranging from drug possession to heroin trafficking.

Judge Polster sentenced the alleged ring-leader, Luis Angel Martinez, 33, of Youngstown, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, said Linda H. Barr, an assistant U.S. Attorney prosecuting the case. He’ll be on supervised release for eight years after he leaves prison.

For the complete story, read Wednesday's Vindicator and Vindy.com