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Heroin, laundering trail leads to Solon
(by Sue Reid - May 18, 2011)
Heroin, laundering trail leads to Solon
By SUE REID
Solon resident Jimmie "Game" Goodgame and his wife Stacey, of Reminderville, face up to 20 years in prison if convicted in connection with what federal investigators are calling one of the most sophisticated drug rings in recent history.
The couple are among eight individuals indicted by a federal grand jury last week in connection with a large-scale heroin trafficking ring that brought drugs into Northeast Ohio and then laundered the profits through numerous bank accounts and more than 50 luxury automobiles.
The residence of Mr. Goodgame, 41, was identified as 36875 Broadstone Drive in Sycamore Estates, also known as the Signature 2 subdivision.
According to the indictment, drug dealers were given luxury cars to drive as a way to launder their profits. Cars were titled to companies owned by the Goodgames, investigators said. Drug dealers were charged a fee, or tax, for the cars, they said.
Mike Tobin, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney General's Office said of Mr. Goodgame, "His tentacles are all over the place with this."
The indictment charged that more than $1.5 million in cash was deposited into accounts Mr. Goodgame controlled between 2008 and 2010. The couple had more than 50 automobiles titled to their three companies last year, including Range Rovers, Porsches, Audis, BMWs and Mercedes Benzes, the indictment said. Those cars were driven and controlled by drug dealers, according to the indictment.
The indictment said multiple bank accounts were used to disguise the nature and amounts of money received from drug-trafficking clients, and wire transfers were used to engage in financial activities.
The indictment identified Mario Freeman, of Garfield Heights, and Addonnise Wells, of Cleveland, as leaders in the operation.
An apartment on Edgewater Drive in Lakewood was used as a stash house for heroin before it was dealt from homes on East 125th and East 127th streets in Cleveland, according to the indictment.
Mrs. Goodgame, 40, allowed her husband to use her company, Goodgame Heavenly Cleaning, and her personal name, to title vehicles, the indictment said.
Most significant about this bust was its sophistication, Mr. Tobin said.
"Jimmie Goodgame had more than 50 cars," Mr. Tobin said. "I'm not sure if it's 50 drug dealers, but it's a lot."
The couple face charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple charges of bank fraud. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward F. Feran, following an investigation by the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force, the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Cleveland Police Department, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area agents and Hotel Interdiction Team Task Force.
The Goodgames were released on bond and are scheduled for a June 10 appearance in federal court before Judge Patricia Gaughan.
Mr. Tobin said that his department is also looking into how Mr. Goodgame's home was purchased. "If drug proceeds are used to buy anything, we can seize that, but there's a question of how much equity they have in the house," he said.
Mr. Tobin said his department has had busts with larger amounts of heroin. An example is last September's indictment of 26 individuals, including Bryant Johnson, of Solon, in connection with what authorities called the largest heroin seizure in state history.
"In the other ring, more heroin was seized, but sometimes that's just a matter of timing," Mr. Tobin said. In that case there were 26 people indicted and in this, eight. "But again, this case has far-reaching consequences."
Mr. Tobin said, although the houses identified in the indictment are in Cleveland, "it would be wrong to think that just people on that street are buying the drugs.
"We have all sorts of incidences of people driving in from the suburbs to get drugs," he said.
Mr. Tobin said his department's intelligence analysis has identified heroin as the top narcotic. "It's pure and you can snort or smoke it, which means suburban people are more likely to do it," he said. "It's more readily available than it used to be.
"Broadly speaking, heroin is not expensive," Mr. Tobins aid. "For a lot of people, the gateway drug to heroin is painkillers. In some cases, it's harder to get painkillers than heroin."
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