Ohio Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

Defendant shuttled drugs and cash for the Sinaloa Cartel from the east coast to the Midwest

November 13, 2024, Press Release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Northern District of Ohio: AKRON, Ohio – Seth Hoover, age 39, of Republic, Ohio, was sentenced to 35 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after being found guilty at a jury trial of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to court documents, an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper observed Hoover make a traffic violation on U.S. Route 250 in Ashland County. During the traffic stop, Hoover presented fake identification. A search of his vehicle revealed a loaded pistol, approximately 1.8 kilograms of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and items associated with drug trafficking. 

The investigation determined the street value of the fentanyl to be approximately $120,000.

This case was investigated by the DEA-Cleveland District Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.