YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Several men from Warren and Youngstown are facing federal drug trafficking charges.
A federal grand jury returned a 48-count indictment charging the following suspects:
Thomas Sledge, 38, of Youngstown
Preston Sims, Jr., 33, of Akron
Levar Johnson, 41, of Warren
Khalef Freeman, 37, of Warren
James Lipscomb, 40, of Warren
Christopher Williams, 39, of Warren
Lajuana Brown, 30, of Warren
The men are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin.
Investigators say Sims allegedly supplied heroin to Sledge, who in turn supplied it to Johnson, Freeman, Lipscomb, Williams and Brown to sell in Youngstown and Warren.
“These defendants are charged with seeking to profit from the drug epidemic that has plagued all of Ohio and hit the Mahoning Valley particularly hard,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “We will seek long prison sentences for people who bring cocaine, heroin, and other illicit drugs into our neighborhoods.”
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Warren Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit.