OSHP finds 33 pounds of cocaine in Struthers man’s truck

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A Struthers man is scheduled to appear in federal court this week after investigators found 33 pounds of cocaine in his vehicle Thursday.

Frank Martinez Jr. is scheduled for a detention hearing before Judge George J. Limbert at 1 p.m. Friday at the Thomas D. Lambros Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on Market Street.

According to a federal complaint, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers pulled Martinez over in his pickup truck for an improper lane change on Interstate 71 in Medina County.

A patrol police dog was deployed around the vehicle and alerted troopers there were narcotics, according to the complaint.

While searching the car, troopers found a metal lid screwed into the floor under the fuel tank tool box. When troopers lifted the lid, they found a compartment containing 15 packages of what lab tests later confirmed was cocaine.

Investigators concluded that Martinez Jr. had the intent of distributing the cocaine.

He is being held in the Mahoning County jail with no bond.