Eight charged with trafficking 1.3K lbs of cocaine

Eight people were charged in a probe where a federal grand jury returned a 22-count superseding indictment for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed approximately 611 kilograms, or more than 1,300 pounds, of cocaine throughout Northeast Ohio, according to a news release from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler.

Named in the indictment are Desmond Smith, 31, of Westlake; Marc Mahoney, 43, of North Royalton; Hosea Lock, 53, of Cleveland; Jesse Bojorquez, 38, of Chula Vista, Calif.; Jerome McGinns, 47, of Cleveland; Marquis Glenn, 36, of South Euclid; Deshon Knowles, 38, of Ashtabula; and Sammy Abraham, 60, of Cleveland.

Law enforcement authorities with the United States Marshals Service arrested McGinnis, Glenn, Knowles and Abraham in connection with the unsealing of the superseding indictment, according to the release.

Mahoney, Lock and Bojorquez were arrested in January on charges alleged in a criminal complaint.

Smith was arrested on charges alleged in a separate criminal complaint.

Each defendant is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and use of a communications facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, according to the release.

In addition, Mahoney is charged with additional counts of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Bojorquez is charged with an additional count of interstate travel in aid of racketeering.

Smith also is charged with additional counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, from January 2019 to May 2022, Mahoney allegedly obtained large quantities of cocaine from Mexico, which he then redistributed to the named defendants to distribute throughout Northeast Ohio.

It is alleged that Mahoney distributed approximately 611 kilograms of cocaine to Lock, McGinnis, Glenn and Smith.

Smith further distributed cocaine and cocaine base to Knowles and Abraham to be redistributed, according to the release.

In return, the defendants allegedly provided Mahoney with a combined approximate total of nearly $20 million in proceeds, which Mahoney then sent back to Mexico, the release said.

On Jan. 20, 2022, the indictment states that Mahoney delivered $2,399,585 of cocaine sales proceeds to Bojorquez, in Cleveland, for transportation back to Mexico.

The conspirators also are accused of using cell phones and coded language to obscure and disguise their drug trafficking activity, the release said.

On Jan. 20, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Mahoney’s residence and at a storage unit associated with Bojorquez.

During the execution of the warrants, investigators obtained more than $2.4 million in U.S. currency, a drug ledger and approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine, the release said.

Mahoney allegedly used the ledger to record his drug transactions.

The indictment also alleges that to conceal the proceeds of his cocaine sales, Mahoney conspired with Rueben Schwartz, 49, of Conneaut to purchase properties in Conneaut with cash derived from Mahoney’s drug trafficking activities, the release said.

Mahoney allegedly paid Schwartz cash for the properties and the two worked together to conceal the true amount paid.

Schwartz was charged in a separate indictment with money laundering May 25, 2022, for his role in the scheme.

This effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Westshore Enforcement Bureau, Westlake Police Department, Conneaut Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rocky River Police Department, North Olmsted Police Department and the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Kolansky is prosecuting the case.