A Cleveland man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Clarence Payne, 40, received a sentence of 170 months from U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after being found guilty by a federal jury on several charges. These include distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm—with prior convictions for drug trafficking and aggravated assault—and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.
Payne will also serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment. The sentence was imposed on November 18.
Court documents and trial evidence showed that during the summer of 2023, Payne supplied cocaine to Harold Pearl, 41, who then sold it on Cleveland’s west side. Pearl would arrange deals with buyers before meeting Payne to obtain the drugs and later return with the proceeds. Undercover agents purchased cocaine from Pearl six times between June and August 2023 using drugs supplied by Payne. When arrested at his home, authorities found multiple bags containing cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, as well as a firearm and drug paraphernalia.
Pearl pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and was sentenced in January 2025 to 46 months in prison plus three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Cleveland Division of Police and other agencies as part of an effort to reduce violent crime during the summer of 2023.
Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Jennifer King prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
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