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LISBON -- A Cleveland-area man with alleged gang ties who was indicted with a slew of others as part of Operation Big Oak was given a trial date on Friday alongside four other people allegedly involved in the drug trafficking ring.
Jermaine Jackson, 46, Garfield Heights, is considered to be one of the alleged ring leaders and was indicted on charges of engaging in corrupt activity, in addition to counts of aggravated trafficking and having weapons while under disability.
He and the four others who appeared in court on Friday were included in the 757-count indictment back in November that was the result of Operation Big Oak, a joint effort between state and local law enforcement to crack down on the drug network operating between Cleveland and Columbiana County.
The network is believed to have brought in nearly 1.4 million doses of potentially lethal opioids into the county since 2014.
Jackson appeared before county common pleas court Judge C. Ashley Pike on Friday and waived his right for time in exchange for a reduced bond. His jury trial date was set for 9 a.m. July 24, with a final status conference set for 9:30 a.m. June 18.
His new bond is set at $100,000 cash or surety.
Others who appeared and waived time in exchange for reduced bonds were Brian Bloor, 42, and Michaela Sue Reardon, 24, of Garfield Heights, Antonio Fleming, 32, of Cleveland, and Justin Buckel, 25, of East Liverpool.
Their jury trials were also set for 9 a.m. July 24, with final status conferences at 9:30 a.m. June 18.
Bloor is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated trafficking in drugs, trafficking in heroin and corrupting another with drugs. His bond was reduced to $25,000 cash or surety.
Reardon is charged with corrupting another with drugs. Her bond was reduced to $25,000 cash or surety.
Fleming is charged with engaging in corrupt activity and several aggravated trafficking counts. His bond was reduced to $75,000 cash or surety.
Buckel is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, three counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs, two counts of trafficking in heroin, two counts of trafficking in cocaine, and 13 counts aggravated possession of drugs.
His $50,000 cash or surety bond was continued.