Cleveland Man Sentenced For Trafficking Heroin, Fentanyl

CLEVELAND — Kernice Martin will spend three decades in prison for trafficking fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, the Department of Justice announced.

“Drug traffickers illegally carry firearms to protect their cash and their supply,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This case is another example of law enforcement working together to make our community safer.”

On June 15, 2018, Martin was pulled over by Cleveland police. Officers found a mixture of fentanyl and heroin in his car, along with 8.41 grams of cocaine, a Taurus .40-caliber handgun and ammunition. Martin was barred from owning a gun because of his previous convictions for drug trafficking and drug possession, court documents said.

Martin, 42, from Cleveland, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison this week. A jury found Martin guilty of four charges in April: possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Cleveland police and the ATF investigated Martin.

“Individuals who use firearms to further their criminal enterprises are a threat to everyone in our community,” said Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the Cleveland Division of Police to make our city safer for everyone.”