Dad, 2 sons, 7 others secretly indicted in Lincoln Knolls drug, gang investigation

Ten people, including a father and two sons, were indicted secretly Thursday by a Mahoning County grand jury on charges of selling drugs in the Lincoln Knolls area.

Of the 10, seven face the more-serious charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, accused of being members of a drug ring, Martin Desmond, assistant county prosecutor, said today.

Members of the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force began Friday morning rounding up those indicted, getting all but one, and also arrested three others who were present when warrants were served for other crimes.

Desmond said the investigation took about 18 months and started with a tip about possible drug and gang activity in the Lincoln Knolls area of the East Side.

The lead investigator in the case is Youngstown police officer Mark Gillette, who is assigned to the task force by the department.

Desmond said members of the drug ring sold especially large amounts of cocaine and heroin, plus marijuana. He said most of them have been in prison before and were known to authorities.

The investigation was built by information gleaned from search warrants and undercover drug buys, Desmond said. When the arrest warrants were served Friday, police found $15,000 in cash and two handguns, along with cocaine and heroin.

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