A Jamaican national living in Cleveland was indicted on fentanyl and firearms charges.
Steven Al-Jay Hinds, 28, was indicted with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of firearms by an alien illegally in the U.S.
Hinds possessed fentanyl and the fentanyl analogue 4-ANPP, as well as a North American Arms.22 Derringer, a Smith & Wesson.357 revolver and ammunition on June 18, 2019. Hinds was prohibited from having a firearm because he was in the country illegally, according to the indictment.
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.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips.
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
