Four Charged in Large-scale Meth and Fentanyl Trafficking Operation in Cleveland

CLEVELAND - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the unsealing of a federal indictment Dec. 9 charging four individuals allegedly involved in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.

According to the allegations in the indictment, from about February 2023 to August 2024, Calvin Locke, aka Uncle, aka Tio, 53, sold narcotics to various redistributors throughout the northern Ohio region and then used a business entity, Locke and Goldstein, to launder the proceeds. Co-conspirator Josue Melendez, aka Jay, aka Bananas, 35, facilitated multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine from Sonora, Mexico, with Carlos Escareno, aka J, 30, serving as courier to transport the pound quantities of drugs across state lines from Arizona to Ohio. A fourth co-conspirator, Shamese Maddox, 37, was Locke's fentanyl supplier.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen of the FBI Cleveland Division.

Calvin Locke, aka Uncle, aka Tio, 53, of Cleveland, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
• Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
• Possession with the Intent to Distribute of Fentanyl.
• Money Laundering.

Josue Melendez, aka Jay, aka Bananas, 35, of Yuma, Arizona, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Carlos Escareno, aka J, 30, of Yuma, Arizona, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Shamese Maddox, 37, of Akron, Ohio, is charged with:

• Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
• Distribution of Fentanyl.

If convicted, each defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to the case, including each defendant's prior criminal record, if any, their 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.

The investigations leading to the indictment were conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and partner members of the Cartel, Gang, Narcotics and Laundering Task Force:

• Cleveland Division of Police
• North Royalton Police Department
• Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department
• Brooklyn (Ohio) Police Department
• Ohio State Highway Patrol
• Ottawa County Prosecutors Office
• Ohio Bureau of Crime Investigations
• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Police
• IRS-Criminal Investigations

Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Crook is leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio. The assistance of the U.S. Marshals is also acknowledged for providing related support for this crime reduction initiative.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.