A Youngstown man was indicted for selling heroin and illegally having firearms, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony.
James K. Neail, 33, was charged in a five-count indictment with distribution of heroin and with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Neail sold heroin on multiple occasions in September 2016 in the Youngstown area, according to the indictment.
Neail possessed a Kel-Tec, model P3AT, .380 caliber pistol and ammunition in September 2015 and possessed a Rohm, model RG38S, .38 caliber revolver and ammunition in October 2015. He did so despite a 2012 federal conviction for conspiracy to commit unlawful conduct relating to RICO, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Toepfer and Ranya Elzein.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.