Two Canton men were charged in U.S. District Court with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana following the seizure of a semi tractor-trailer loaded with about 1,700 pounds of marijuana destined for Cleveland, law enforcement officials said.
Charged are Ray Sanchez, 46, and Andy Fagan, 29, both of Canton.
According to an affidavit filed in the case:
Sanchez contacted a counterpart in Texas this month and arranged for a large amount of marijuana to be shipped to Ohio. The next day, Fagan sent $20,000 by Federal Express to the Texas connection, which law enforcement officers suspected related to the shipment of marijuana from Texas to Cleveland.
Sanchez then indicated the marijuana would arrive on Aug. 15.
On the morning of Aug. 15, law enforcement officials learned that the shipment of marijuana was intercepted by Homeland Security Investigations agents when the semi crossed the border at Laredo, Texas. The semi contained 1,718 pounds of marijuana hidden in recycling equipment and addressed to Fagan in Ohio.
Sanchez and Fagan were subsequently arrested.
The case is being investigated by a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency Task Force comprised of members of the Cleveland Division of Police, Independence Police Department, Broadview Heights Police Department, Brooklyn Police Department, Brook Park Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. The Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force also assisted. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vasile Katsaros.
A charge is not evidence of guilty. A person is considered innocent until proven guilty and it is the government’s burden to prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation is ongoing.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
