Federal grand jury will hear drug-distribution cases against four defendants

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Three of the four defendants charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine waived their rights to preliminary hearings Friday afternoon in the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 125 Market St.

Bruce Cuevas Sr., Lilia Comacho-Jimenez and Ricardo Bustillo-Ramos are all out of jail on bond pending their cases being heard by a federal grand jury.

U.S. marshals detained Jose Martinez due to unspecified probable cause. He also will have his case heard by a federal grand jury.

The charges are a result of a yearlong investigation involving various wire taps and surveillance. U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency agents determined cocaine was shipped from Texas and delivered in a duffel bag to Martinez’s home, 574 Notre Dame Drive in Austintown, by Bustillos-Ramos, also of Austintown.

DEA agents arrested Cuevas, Comacho-Jimenez and Martinez on Tuesday, after agents searched Martinez’s home. Agents arrested Bustillos-Ramos on Wednesday.