Georgia man indicted for selling heroin in the Youngstown area

A Georgia man was arrested on federal charges that he sold heroin in the Youngstown area, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.

Richard E. North, Jr., 47, of Lithonia, Georgia, was charged in a five-count indictment with distribution of heroin and with travelling in interstate commerce to facilitate the distribution of heroin.

North sold heroin in the Youngstown area on multiple dates in October and November 2016. He also travelled from Ohio to Tennessee on Nov. 7 with the intent to distribute heroin, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence 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 preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States 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.