Summit County man indicted for firearms, nearly 80 pounds of cocaine

A five-count indictment was filed in federal court charging a Summit County man for illegally possessing firearms and nearly 80 pounds of cocaine, law enforcement officials said

Jerry J. Davis, Jr., 35, of New Franklin, was indicted on two counts of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and one count of being felon in possession of a firearm.  

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and officers from Akron Police Department executed a traffic stop of Davis in Akron on Nov. 1. Davis initially stopped but then drove away, leading the officers on a high-speed chase. Davis crashed his car into a light pole and then ran from officers. He was arrested after he jumped from a bridge, falling 30 feet to the ground, according to court documents.

Officers recovered nearly 11 kilograms of cocaine and a loaded Glock .40-caliber handgun from Davis’s vehicle, according to court documents.

Later that day, investigators from the Summit County Drug Unit, Akron Police Department, DEA and FBI executed a search warrant on Davis, Jr.’s house in New Franklin. They recovered approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine, a Glock .40 model 30 handgun, a Springfield .45-caliber handgun, ammunition and approximately $67,658 in cash, according to court documents. 

Davis is forbidden by law from having a firearm because of numerous felony convictions, including for sexual battery, heroin possession and other crimes, according to court documents.

“This investigation is a great example of law enforcement working together to get drugs and guns off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

“Our working relationships with our state, local and federal partners continue to benefit the City of Akron in successes such as this,” said Akron Police Chief James Nice.

“The seizure of 36 kilograms is significant and is an indication that cocaine abuse continues to plague society,” said Timothy Plancon, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Detroit Office, which oversees Ohio. “Halting the activities of a large-scale, gun-toting, cocaine trafficker is a victory for the citizens of Akron and the surrounding communities, and was achieved thanks to the significant communication and cooperation of all of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies involved.”

This investigation was conducted by the Akron Police Department Narcotics Unit and the DEA, along with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron P. Howell.          

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 each defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ roles in the offense and the characteristics of the violations.