The Drug Enforcement Agency had been investigating Alex Martin of Farrell for some time, and got the crucial lead that led to his arrest when Kansas state troopers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation.

The white Ford Expedition, stopped at 4:30 p.m. April 10 in Thomas County, was driven by a woman, and had two passengers, Roger Williams and a juvenile, according to court documents filed in the federal drug case against Martin, Williams and Ramon Wright.

That stop precipitated a series of staged events by investigators that led to searches and recorded conversations, made with the cooperation of Williams and Wright, and culminated with Martin's arrest April 13 when he got off an airplane at Cleveland-Hopkins Airport.

Martin, 39, of 809 Lee Ave.; Williams, 34, of Moreno Valley, Calif.; and Wright, 33, of Forest Park, Ohio, were indicted May 14 on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms -- about 11 pounds -- of cocaine, and more than 5 grams of crack cocaine.

Martin and Williams also face charges of aiding and abetting and possession with intent to deliver 9.755 kilograms of cocaine -- about 21è pounds -- and Wright is charged with attempting to possess with intent to distribute the same amount of cocaine.

The men have a pre-trial conference set for July 22 before U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus, Youngstown.

The Kansas trooper learned that the sport-utlity vehicle was owned by someone else, Terry Hunter of Campbell, Ohio, and the three occupants gave conflicting stories as to where they were headed. Those bits of information were red flags to the trooper, who asked to search the vehicle and got the occupants' consent.

The search turned up a hidden compartment containing 10 kilograms of cocaine.

Once the drug was found, Williams started to talk. He said he had come from Los Angeles and was heading to Farrell to deliver the cocaine to Martin, something he had done once before.

Martin has an Ohio driver's license under the name Terry Hunter.

Williams agreed to proceed to the Youngstown area, where he was to contact Martin about how to dispose of the SUV. He was accompanied by four investigators.

Arriving in Youngstown, Williams called Martin, who was in California, and Martin told him to park the SUV in Martin's garage at 809 Lee. Williams could then take the pickup that was in the garage for his own transportation.

At the direction of investigators, Williams called back later and said he had hit a deer, disabling the SUV. The story was only half a lie as the SUV had hit a deer in Missouri, causing some damage.

Martin contacted Wright, who was in Boardman, and asked him to arrange for a tow truck to pick up the SUV, and then lead it to Martin's garage.

Williams had told investigators previously that Wright probably would accept the cocaine for Martin.

Wright told Martin he did not have the money for the tow truck. Martin arranged for him to go to a gas station in Youngstown and wait by the pay telephone. While he was there, a man drove up and threw money into Wright's truck.

Wright said he was to be paid the sale proceeds of 2 kilograms of cocaine for helping get the SUV to Farrell. Martin planned to sell them to members of the Bloods gang in Pittsburgh.

Investigators estimated the value of each kilogram at $25,000 to $29,000.

Wright was arrested in Boardman when he arrived at the motel Williams had said he was staying at.

Wright also started cooperating with investigators, and the SUV was towed to Farrell.

Martin's home was searched April 13, and investigators found a small amount of marijuana and documents to help in identifying him.

Court documents show that the men have been convicted of drug and/or crimes of violence, and have used aliases.

Martin, the married father of three children, was arrested Dec. 13, 1991 in California on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter and burglary, and eventually was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He was put on probation.

In 1999, Martin was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 270 days in jail and 36 months probation.

Martin, who was born in Los Angeles, also has been arrested in California on several occasions for drunken driving, and is on parole into 2003 for them.

Wright was paroled in May 2001 after being convicted of transportation of 12 kilograms of cocaine. He was arrested March 10, 1998, in Los Angeles and had been sentenced to 6 years' in jail.

Wright, who was born in Sharon, attended Slippery Rock High School and has lived in Farrell. He has been living with his daughter and mother in a Cincinnati suburb since his parole, but also has a girlfriend in Boardman, with whom he has stayed.

Wright has used aliases of Jerome Alston and Rome Alston.

Williams is a Los Angeles native who has lived in Girard, Ohio, with the mother of one of his five children. He has fathered children with three different women.

Nicknamed "Pooh," Williams was convicted in 1990 of possession of a narcotic, in 1991 of voluntary manslaughter, and in 1996 of possession of cocaine, all in California.

Williams, who runs a baby-sitting service with a California girlfriend, has an Ohio driver's license under the name Anthony Nolan, and it lists a different birth date.

The men have been held in Mahoning County Jail since their arrests.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Joe Pinchot at jpinchot@sharon-herald.com