Four people were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to mail heroin from California to the Warren area, said David A. Sierleja, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Named in the seven-count indictment are: Derrick Eggleston, 31; Rachael Sherman, 38, both of Warren; Alexander Zamudio, 43; and Zoany Zamudio, 38, both of Victorville, California. All four are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.
The defendants conspired to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. This took place beginning as early as September 2015 through November 2015. It was part of the conspiracy that Alexander Zamudio sent heroin through the U.S. mail from California to Sherman’s residence in Warren. Eggleston then picked up the heroin from that residence and compensated Sherman, according to the indictment.
Eggleston sent money through the U.S. mail from Warren to Alexander in California. Zoany Zamudio later replaced Alexander Zamudio as Eggleston’s point of contact when Alexander was incarcerated and unable to send heroin through the mail or receive drug payments, according to the indictment.
On Sept. 9 and Oct. 7, 2015, Alexander Zamudio used the U.S. mail to send heroin to Sherman and Eggleston. Eggleston and Sherman attempted to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin on Sept. 10, 2015. Zoany Zamudio used the U.S. mail to send heroin to Sherman and Eggleston on Oct. 26, 27 and Nov. 2015, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences 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 violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. States Attorney David M. Toepfer.
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
