Strongsville Father, Son Indicted in Major Drug Investigation

Federal agents raided a house on Colebright Drive early Thursday morning in connection with a drug investigation that netted 16 indictments.

Richard Price, 49, 15563 Colebright Drive, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, while his son, Richard Price Jr., 23, of Cleveland, faces a string of charges for allegedly distributing heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

“This drug-trafficking organization, led by Richard Price (Jr.), was unique in that it supplied the west side of Cleveland with such a vast array of illegal drugs," said Robert L. Corso, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration. "These arrests effectively cut off a pipeline that fed the streets of Cleveland."

The ring operated between March and September 2012, according to the indictment.

Agents from the DEA and U.S. Marshal's office served a warrant at Price's Colebright Drive home about 5:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24.

Strongsville police were asked to assist by bringing a canine to the house.

In all, 16 people were indicted on drug trafficking, illegal firearms and money laundering charges for their roles in a group that is accused of bringing cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Chicago and selling it in Cleveland, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said in a news release

Price Jr. is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and marijuana; distributing cocaine and heroin; possessing with intent to distribute heroin; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; being a felon in possession of firearms; maintaining a premises for drug trafficking; and money laundering.

The indictment describes a conspiracy in which Price Jr., obtained cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Alexander Abreu, 42, of Cleveland, and other suppliers, then distributed the drugs to numerous dealers in the Cleveland area, with help from several of the other defendants.

Also charged:

Geraldo Maldonado, aka "Lalo," age 37; Richard Maldonado, age 27; Joshua Johnson, age 21; Robert Hoover, age 27; Gordon Egan, age 19; Reginald Hart, age 34, of Bedford; Pedro Gonzalez, age 29; John Childrey, age 22, of Brook Park; John Hoch, age 19, of Middleburg Heights; Michael Young, age 24; Patrick Corrigan, aka "Patrick Marflak," of Lakewood; and Cory Box, age 20, of Westlake, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.

Breanna Johnson, age 19, of Cleveland is charged with distributing heroin.

Hoch and Abreu are also charged with money laundering.

The DEA and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office investigated the case.