Elyria man gets 12-plus years in federal prison

An Elyria man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm.

An Elyria man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

Joshua Novak, 28, will serve 151 months in prison for two counts of distribution of crack cocaine and single counts of distribution of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, the release said.

Novak, who pleaded guilty, sold crack cocaine and a mixture of heroin and fentanyl on multiple occasions in February 2019.

When police executed a search warrant at his residence Feb. 19, they located nearly seven grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, a firearm, ammunition and other drug trafficking tools, according to the release.

During his sentencing hearing, Novak was found by the court to be a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, with at least two felony convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense.

This case is one of nearly 80 prosecuted federally as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS) involving heroin, fentanyl or any synthetic opioid.

Lorain County is one of 10 communities around the nation selected as a pilot for Operation SOS.

Novak