Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Jerone Tate, a 38-year-old resident of Westlake, Ohio, was sentenced on Apr. 1 to more than 24 years in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl and cocaine throughout Northeast Ohio.
Tate received a sentence of 292 months from U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after pleading guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as distribution offenses involving fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to his prison term, Tate will serve five years of supervised release.
Court documents show that federal agents began investigating the organization in 2021, suspecting Tate as its leader. The investigation revealed he organized and distributed large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl across the region. Agents executed search warrants at multiple locations including a Cleveland residence, Tate’s home in Avon Lake, and a restaurant he owned in Richmond Heights.
Authorities seized approximately 1,902 grams of cocaine, nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl, over one hundred grams of fentanyl analogue, about nineteen kilograms of marijuana, $63,111 in cash, as well as equipment such as a drug press and ledgers during the raids.
A co-conspirator in the case, Terrill Colbert from Cleveland, previously pleaded guilty for his role and is serving a ten-year sentence. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Payum Doroodian prosecuted the case.
