Trending
YOUNGSTOWN -- A federal grand jury on Monday returned a 16-count indictment charging six Mahoning Valley residents in a methamphetamine drug trafficking ring.
Named in the indictment are Neil R. Dye, 36, an inmate housed at Trumbull Correctional Institution in Warren; Jaclyn L. Szachury, 35, an inmate at Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville; Mary E. Clearwater, 39, of Westgate Drive in Braceville; Michael A. Lee, 29, an inmate at Grafton Correctional Institution in Lorain County; Courtney P. Wilson, 30, of Youngstown, and Timothy M. Lowery, 33, of Warren.
Lowery and Clearwater were arrested by Trumbull County sheriff's deputies Saturday at a Southington home with Lowery, who also has a Painesville address, was found to have two stab wounds. Mahoning County jail records show Wilson was incarcerated Monday.
Lowery, Clearwater and Wilson each pleaded not guilty to their respective charges at a video arraignment Monday before federal Judge Donald Nugent. They were remanded back to federal custody, court records show. The federal government is making arrangements for the video arraignments of the other three defendants who are in the state's custody.
The indictment names offenses committed between July 8, 2019, and Dec. 3, 2020. The six are accused of working together to distribute quantities of methamphetamine in communities throughout northern Ohio.
As part of the drug ring, Dye and Szachury are accused of providing meth to Clearwater, who then handed off to Lee, Wilson and Lowery for distribution throughout the region. At least 500 grams of the drug was involved, officials said.
On several occasions, the group is accused of selling meth to confidential FBI sources, the indictment states.
Lowery also faces a charge of possessing an unregistered firearm. Also, the indictment states Lowery must forfeit the Iver Johnson 16-gauge weapon made from shotgun parts, and Clearwater must forfeit $4,300 in seized cash.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine Makridis.
If convicted, the defendants' sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including each defendant's prior criminal record, if any, and the individual's alleged role in the drug ring, federal officials said.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force, Sheriff Paul Monroe's Trumbull Action Group Drug Task Force, the Warren police Street Crimes Unit, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Summit County Drug Unit.