Muskingum County and Zanesville City Joint Drug Unit has made three more drug-related arrests

ZANESVILLE – The investigation involves a Hispanic and Mexican drug and cocaine pipeline that originates from the Matamoros area in Mexico and being brought into the United States through Brownsville, Texas. During the weekend of April 25th and 26th, 42-year-old Jose Gonzalez, 76-year-old Ronald Cooper, and 29-year-old Erick Marquez were all taken into custody. They all face multiple drug related charges including possession and trafficking of drugs with a major drug offender specification. The Joint Drug Unit uncovered 10 kilos of cocaine in its investigation. Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz, Zanesville Police Chief Tony Coury, and County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Ron Welch shared an update at a conference Monday morning.

“These cases sometimes don’t run as smooth as a marble on a pane of glass. Most of these cases are like a marble on a broken piece of glass. They’re back and forth. Drug dealers have no concept of time, they have no concept of jurisdiction and for us to have the ability to work together like we have for the past numerous years; that’s how you make these types of cases,” Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz said.

All three suspects will at least face minimum mandatory prison sentences of eleven years. Police Chief Tony Coury says that the three traffickers will get what they deserve.

“Don’t feel sorry for the drug dealers. They do ruin many lives and the product they’re pushing; they’re pushing it all the way from Texas and Mexico and, you know, ruining lives in Southeast Ohio, Muskingum County, and Zanesville. I guess I can have empathy for anyone; everybody’s in a hard situation (but), you know, these guys know exactly what they are doing and they are going to reap what they sow when they get in front of Muskingum County’s prosecutors and court system,” Coury said.

Both the Sheriff and the Police Chief want people to know that the investigation is very much still ongoing and there is a possibility of more drug-related arrests in the future.