Third Ohio Man Pleads Guilty To
Cocaine Conspiracy

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI: Preston L. Grubbs, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Division Office, and Todd P. Graves, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Ohio man pleaded guilty in federal court today to participating, along with two other Ohio men, in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.

James A. Long, 34, of Parma, Ohio, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr this morning to the charge contained in a November 2, 2005, federal indictment.

By pleading guilty today, Long admitted that he participated in a conspiracy with co-defendants Geno L. Dellanno, 24, and Floyd B. Binder, 51, both of Cleveland, Ohio, to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 500 grams of cocaine from October 2 to 6, 2005. Long admitted that he traveled from Ohio to Dallas, Texas, with Dellanno and Binder to pick up a quantity of cocaine. After receiving more than three kilograms of cocaine, the co-defendants were arrested in Greene County, Missouri, while enroute to deliver the cocaine back to Ohio. Approximately 3,031 grams of cocaine was wrapped in plastic along with two firearms.

Dellano and Binder pleaded guilty on January 4 and 5, 2006, respectively, to their roles in the conspiracy.

Under federal statutes, each of the co-defendants could be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to 40 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $2 million. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Rush. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Requests for additional information should be directed to Group Supervisor Alan Wilson or Public Information Officer Special Agent Shirley Armstead at 314-538-4600.