Two Southwest Ohio men were arrested by federal agents for allegedly conducting large-scale cocaine trafficking, according to a May 11 announcement from the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.
Damian Galan, 31, of Cincinnati, and Diego Galan, 19, of Fairfield, are scheduled to appear in federal court for their initial appearances. The charges follow an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration Cincinnati District Office, the Cincinnati Police Department, and other agencies within the Cincinnati Homeland Security Task Force.
According to charging documents released by authorities, law enforcement officials received information about possible drug trafficking activities involving Damian and Diego Galan throughout the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere. Surveillance efforts led investigators to a Holiday Inn Express in Columbus on May 9. There, both men allegedly obtained four large storage containers from two individuals at the hotel before transporting them back to Diego’s residence in Fairfield.
Law enforcement executed search warrants at both residences. At Damian Galan’s home they found four kilograms of suspected cocaine and a firearm. At Diego Galan’s residence officers recovered approximately 77 kilograms of suspected cocaine inside storage bins as well as bulk cash, firearms, and suspected methamphetamine. The arrests took place in the early morning hours of May 10.
Both defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine—a federal crime punishable by at least ten years up to life in prison. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; members of the Homeland Security Task Force; DEA; Cincinnati Police Department; FBI; HSI; Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Regional Narcotics Unit; and Executive Assistant United States Attorney Christy L. Muncy announced these charges.
The case is part of an initiative under Executive Order 14159 designed to eliminate criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations operating within or affecting U.S. communities through interagency collaboration targeting crimes such as human smuggling and child trafficking.
Authorities remind that "a criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law."
