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Press Release

Four people indicted for their roles in conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Youngstown area

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio

Four people were charged in a 13-count federal indictment for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the Youngtown area.

Indicted are: Lawrence L. Whited, aka Chunk, aka Lamont, 47, of Youngstown; Jeanne M. George, 47, of Youngstown; Jonathan F. Brown, aka Joe Brown, 50, of Austintown, and Eva N. Whisel, 34, of Youngstown.

Whited, between January 2016 through December 2017, supplied cocaine to George and Brown for distribution in the Youngstown area. George and Brown supplied cocaine to Whisel for distribution in the Youngstown area, according to the indictment.

Whited is also charged with using firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of firearms. Whited possessed a Taurus 9 mm pistol, two Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolvers and ammunition on Sept. 28, 2017, despite a previous conviction for felonious assault, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Contact

Mike Tobin
216.622.3651
michael.tobin@usdoj.gov

Updated August 3, 2018

Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses