Cleveland Meth Ring Busted: Six Face Federal Charges

CLEVELAND – A cross-country drug pipeline funneling crystal methamphetamine into Cleveland has been dismantled with the indictment of six individuals, federal authorities announced today. The operation, allegedly spanning from August to October 2014, involved the trafficking of narcotics from California to the streets of Ohio.

Named in the six-count indictment are Chauncey D. Dennis, 35, Michael J. Coolidge, 51, and Ross Cipolla, 49, all of Cleveland, Ohio. Also charged are Aja S. Brown, 33, of Van Nuys, Calif.; Christian Joe Villasenor, 32, and Hazel Hamilton, 28, both of Los Angeles, California. Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, confirmed the indictment was handed down in federal court.

According to the indictment, Dennis, Coolidge, and Cipolla acted as the Cleveland-based distribution network, sourcing the crystal meth from their California counterparts: Brown, Villasenor, and Hamilton. The scheme involved Dennis allegedly sending money orders to dealers in Los Angeles and Van Nuys, which were then used to mail packages containing the illicit drug to his address at 10121 Unity Ave., Upper Unit, in Cleveland. On September 15th, Coolidge is alleged to have picked up a shipment from Dennis and delivered it to Cipolla at a storage facility located at 6000 Clark Ave. in Cleveland.

The charges aren’t limited to drug trafficking. Cipolla faces a separate count of possession of GHB with intent to distribute. Dennis and Brown are additionally charged with using a communication facility to facilitate a felony (Counts 3 & 4), and conducting financial transactions involving proceeds from unlawful activity (Counts 5 & 6). Count 1 charges all six defendants for their roles in the overarching conspiracy.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Tomaro, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio. Investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service spearheaded the investigation, uncovering the details of the alleged operation. The feds warn that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, sentencing will be determined by the court, taking into account federal sentencing guidelines, the specific roles each defendant played in the conspiracy, their prior criminal records (if any), and the unique characteristics of the violations. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it moves through the federal court system and provide updates as they become available.

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