CLEVELAND — A Cleveland man and his associates, including his father, are accused of selling hundreds of pounds of marijuana, along with other drugs, out of an east side tire shop.
This week, an indictment unsealed in federal court revealed 11 people are charged for an alleged drug-dealing enterprise that included extortion, money laundering and wholesale marijuana transported from Los Angeles to Cleveland in suitcases.
The 32-page indictment names Jerry Baker, Jr. and DeShaun Martin as the primary subjects of an investigation by a Cleveland Police FBI task force between May 2021 and November 2022. Court documents say the pair’s communications intercepted by investigators show they were trafficking marijuana, heroin and fentanyl around Cleveland’s east side, including from In & Out Tires and Auto on Union Ave.
Both men are facing 14 federal counts, including drug trafficking, racketeering, money laundering and firearms charges.
A California man, Walter Sornoza, is also named in court documents as the supplier of the marijuana under his business, Empire Genetics. Records allege Sornoza’s associates would transport suitcases full of weed from LA to Cleveland and other cities.
Investigators raided Martin and Baker, Jr.’s homes, as well as In & Out Tire, in November 2022 and found drugs, money and weapons, according to court documents.
The indictment says Baker, Jr. purchased the tire shop for $114,000 in June 2022.
Thursday, News 5 approached In & Out Tire and Auto seeking comment. Jerry Baker, Sr. was there but declined to say anything on the record.
Baker, Sr. is charged with two counts, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and maintaining a drug premises.
News 5 also reached out to the defense attorneys listed on the indictment. Most declined to comment. Martin’s attorney responded and said his client denies all of the allegations and looks forward to his day in court.
The attorney representing Baker, Sr. said the defense teams are waiting to receive discovery in the case. No trial date had been set as of Thursday evening.
