Youngstown, Ohio – A Youngstown man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison after admitting he intended to distribute a large shipment of cocaine that authorities intercepted after it was mailed from Puerto Rico to Ohio.
According to federal officials, Jean Carlos Martinez, 42, received a sentence of 188 months in prison, equal to approximately 15.6 years, from U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan. Martinez previously pleaded guilty in April to Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered Martinez to serve six years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
Postal inspectors intercepted suspicious package
Court documents show the investigation began on Jan. 23, 2025, when United States Postal Inspection Service inspectors identified and seized a package mailed from Puerto Rico to an address in Campbell, Ohio. Investigators suspected the parcel contained illegal drugs.
Rather than immediately ending the investigation, authorities carried out a controlled delivery by taking the package to its intended destination while monitoring the situation.
Shortly after the delivery, Martinez arrived at the address to collect the parcel. During the investigation, he later admitted that he intended to distribute the cocaine contained inside the package.
Laboratory testing later confirmed the shipment contained approximately 2,003.9 grams of cocaine, which is nearly 4½ pounds.
Federal prosecutors presented the evidence as part of the criminal case, leading to Martinez’s guilty plea earlier this year.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Detroit Division, which worked together to identify the shipment and prevent the drugs from reaching the community.
The case was prosecuted in the Northern District of Ohio by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Joines.
With the sentence now imposed, Martinez will serve more than 15 years in federal prison before beginning his six-year period of supervised release. Federal officials said the case highlights continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to intercept illegal narcotics shipped through the mail and disrupt drug trafficking operations before the drugs reach local communities.
