Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
A Cleveland man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for his involvement in drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Clarence Payne, 40, received a sentence of 170 months from U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after being found guilty by a federal jury on multiple charges, including distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Payne’s criminal record includes previous convictions for drug trafficking dating back to 2005 as well as aggravated assault and drug possession in 2011. After serving his prison term, he will also be subject to five years of supervised release.
Court documents revealed that during the summer of 2023, Payne supplied cocaine to Harold Pearl, 41, who then sold the drugs on Cleveland’s west side. Pearl arranged transactions with buyers before meeting Payne to obtain the necessary amounts. Undercover agents purchased drugs from Pearl six times between June and August 2023 using substances provided by Payne. When law enforcement arrested Payne at his home, they discovered multiple bags containing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia.
Pearl pleaded guilty for his role in the operation and was sentenced in January 2025 to 46 months in prison along with three years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) led the investigation into this case with support from the Cleveland Division of Police and other agencies as part of an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime during the summer of 2023.
Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Jennifer King prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
