Fifteen people indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to bring large amounts of cocaine and heroin from Mexico and California to Stark County

Fifteen people were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to bring large amounts of cocaine and heroin from Mexico and California to the Canton area.

Named in the 39-count indictment are: Miguel Reyes-Perez, 33, a Mexican citizen living in Canton; Miguel Ayala-Cardona, 52, of Canton; Juan Silverio Castro-Castrio, 18, of Massillon; Louis Dunson. Jr., 49, of Canton; Louis Dunson, III, 26, of Canton; Oscar Fabian Garcia-Reyes, 29, of Canton; Michael Yarnell Harris, 40, of Massillon; David Deon Jones-Dehart, 38, of Orrville; Stephanie Joy Dehart, 48, of Orrville; Albino Lopez-Ruvalcaba, 43, of Canton; Willie J. Middleton, 63, of Canton; Earnest Lee Nelson, Jr., 36, of Orrville; Rogelio Tello-Ramirez, 51, of Canton; Ciro Ajualip, 26, of Canton, and Alvaro Orosco, 34, of Canton.

Reyes–Perez received cocaine and heroin from California, Mexico and elsewhere, which he then redistributed to drug customers including Ayala-Cardona, Castro-Castrio, the Dunsons, Garcia-Reyes, Harris, Jones-Dehart, Dehart, Lopez-Ruvalcaba, Middleton, Nelson, Tello-Ramirez and Ajualip . Those defendants then sold the drugs to other customers, according to the indictment.

This took place between August 2016 and at least April 2019, according to the indictment.

Additionally, Reyes-Perez is charged with illegal reentry into the United States. He was found here on April 4, 2019, after having been deported on January 30, 2018, according to the indictment.

“This group brought large amounts of heroin and cocaine into Stark County at time when record numbers of our neighbors were dying from drug overdoses,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We will continue to work to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and seek long prison sentences for those profiting off the drug epidemic.”

"These fifteen indicted individuals may live in our area hometowns of Canton, Massillon, Orrville and Wooster, but they had far reaching contacts that allowed them to bring dangerous illegal drugs into and across our country,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify and disrupt drug trafficking networks distributing perilous substances in our neighborhoods."

“The Canton Police Department remains committed to working with its federal law enforcement partners to eradicate this type of criminal activity from our city,” said Canton Police Chief Jack Angelo.

“The Massillon Police Department is pleased to have been able to participate with our law enforcement partners in this endeavor and we are committed to maintaining these relationships for the safety and welfare of our community,” said Massillon Police Chief Keith T. Moser

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Canton Police Department, MEDWAY Drug Enforcement Agency and Massillon Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Sweeney.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.