8 Charged In Northeast Ohio Cocaine Ring

CLEVELAND, OH - Prosecutors have brought charges against eight Northeast Ohioans for allegedly conspiring to bring in and sell crack cocaine and powdered cocaine in East Cleveland. The men now face 23-count indictment.

Seven of the eight men being charged are from Cleveland. That includes Calvin Gore, 34; Ronald Park, 49; Ronnie Townsend, Jr., 41; Million Wheeler, 43; Derrick Rivers, 36; Terry Gardner, 29, and Laverne Rucker, 56. The eighth suspect is Freddie Love, 45, from Euclid.

According to investigators, this is how their scheme worked.

Calvin Gore would get multiple ounces of cocaine from Ronald Park and Million Wheeler. Gore would then distribute the drugs to dealers throughout Cleveland. Those dealers included Freddie Love, Ronnie Townsend, Derrick Rivers, and Laverne Rucker, according to the indictment.

The cocaine was stored at a residence in Cleveland at 14329 Benwood Avenue by Gore. Prosecutors are looking for a forfeit of $13,308 in cash, two firearms, ammunition, and a 2006 Lexus, that was seized during the investigation.

The investigation into the drug ring was handled by the Northeast Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force. That large group is made up of the FBI, Cleveland Police, the DEA, IRS, Customs and Border Patrol, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority and Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office, along with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio Adult Parole Authority. The team also works Euclid, Lakewood, Westlake, and Moreland Hills police.

The NOLETF primarily focuses on drug rings, so this is a victory for the group.

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