5 charged in New York to Youngstown drug ring plead guilty

YOUNGSTOWN

Five people charged last November with being part of a ring that shipped illegal drugs from New York to the Youngstown area entered guilty pleas in U.S. Northern District of Ohio.

Pleading guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin were Luis Cruz, 41, and Frankie Torres, 27, both of Youngstown, and Caroline Alba-Ventura, 24, of New York City; pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin was Carlos Gonalez, 37, of Campbell; and pleading guilty to four counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin was Bradley C. Jackson, 28, of Youngstown.

Sentencings are set for Nov. 17 and Nov. 18 in U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio in Cleveland.

Court documents said Alba-Ventura drove the heroin from New York to Youngstown and Jackson sold heroin from homes on East Florida Avenue and Park Heights. Gonzalez also sold heroin, court documents said.

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.