Cleveland Heights Drug Bust Leads to 10 Year Conviction

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH - A Euclid man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having more than 900 pills of fentanyl, crack cocaine and a firearm, said Acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon.

Ryan Gaston, 30, was previously found guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and possession of a firearm.

Gaston was arrested on Feb. 3 in Cleveland Heights. A search of his car, and subsequent search of his apartment, revealed rocks of crack cocaine, a 9 mm High Point rifle and approximately 925 round blue pills believed to be Oxycodone 30 mg pills.

A test revealed the pills were not Oxycodone, but instead fentanyl, according to court documents.
Fentanyl is a very potent synthetic opiate used to treat pain and as a surgical anesthetic. While heroin is approximately three times as potent as morphine, fentanyl is approximately 80-100 times more powerful than morphine, according to court documents.

“Each one of these pills is an overdose waiting to happen,” said Rendon. “This sentence demonstrates the seriousness of dealing these drugs. We will continue to attack the opioid problem from all sides – prevention, education, treatment and enforcement.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Baeppler following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Cleveland Heights Police Department, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Euclid Police Department.

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