A Cleveland man was indicted in federal court for possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, said Carole S. Rendon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Juan J. Hiraldo, 26, possessed approximately 26 grams of cocaine base (crack) and a Kahr.40 Caliber pistol with ammunition on May 3. Hiraldo had previously been convicted ason and domestic violence in Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, according to the indictment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marisa T. Darden following an investigation by the Lakewood Police Department and the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force.
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 violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
