Fifteen people are facing federal charges after a year-long investigation uncovered a large-scale drug ring operating across Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to federal court documents.
Investigators say the group coordinated shipments of methamphetamine from the U.S.-Mexico border and sourced additional supply from Akron, Ohio. The drugs were bought in pound quantities and resold across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas. The group allegedly ran four stash houses in Akron to process, store, and distribute the methamphetamine.
In total, law enforcement uncovered evidence of transactions involving more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine. During the investigation, officers seized approximately 15 pounds of the drug along with a firearm.
A series of coordinated arrests took place between April and May following a round of criminal complaints and a 21-count federal indictment returned in May.
All 15 individuals face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine:
- Clarence Daniels, 44, of Akron, Ohio
- Larry Finch, 43, of Akron, Ohio
- Nicholas Helfrick, 44, of Akron, Ohio
- Ricardo Allison, 44, of Akron, Ohio
- Sheldon Bell, 45, of Akron, Ohio
- John Townsend, 41, of Akron, Ohio
- Bryce Dittman, 27, of St. Petersburg, Pennsylvania
- Tyler Smith, 28, of East Brady, Pennsylvania
- Anthony Raunikar, 44, of Akron, Ohio
- Marcus Nixon, 45, of Akron, Ohio
- John Koza, 45, of Akron, Ohio
- Earl Breckenridge, 56, of Oil City, Pennsylvania
- Jazzmin Thomas, 30, of Akron, Ohio
- Samantha Lentz, 30, of Doylestown, Ohio
- Craig Consilio, 62, of Akron, Ohio
Several defendants face additional federal counts:
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine: Dittman, Smith, Breckenridge, Lentz, Raunikar, Finch, Allison, and Consilio.
Maintaining Drug Premises: Finch, Helfrick, and Consilio.
Use of a Communication Facility to Facilitate a Drug Offense: Daniels, Finch, Helfrick, Allison, Bell, Townsend, Raunikar, Dixon, Koza, Breckenridge, Lentz, and Consilio.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition: Nixon, who has prior convictions for illegal drug manufacture in 2001 and illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for drug manufacture in 2016.
The joint investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Akron Police Department, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Rolph and Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel are prosecuting the cases for the Northern District of Ohio.
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