A three-year investigation using wiretaps, confidential informants, and undercover police officers netted 20 arrests Tuesday in a major interstate heroin-trafficking ring.

A 77-page federal indictment named the 20 defendants -- 19 from the Toledo area and one from California -- who are accused of distributing and selling heroin trafficked into Toledo from Mexico and California. The ring was in operation as early as 2001, authorities said.

During the investigation, which started in 2008, the defendants trafficked more than 20 kilograms of heroin, with an $11 million street value, into Toledo, Toledo police Sgt. Joe Heffernan said. A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds.

Each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to possess heroin and intent to distribute, 19 are charged with unlawful use of a communication facility, and 15 are charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin, according to the indictment, filed May 5 and unsealed Tuesday.

"It's a good day for Toledo and northwest Ohio," Toledo police Chief Mike Navarre said Tuesday morning at a news conference. "It's a very significant arrest."

Much of the crime in urban communities -- shootings, burglaries, robberies -- is linked to people trying to support a drug addiction, Chief Navarre said.

"This will have a major impact in the reduction of crime in the city of Toledo," he said.

Defendants are Lupe Hernandez, Jr., 29; Kelly Bocanegra, 24; Joseph Gonzales, 37; Jason Costilla, 37; Matt Bocanegra, 21; Gary Elliott, Jr., 29; Francisco Gonzales, 33; Juan Gonzalez, Jr., 27; John Helminski, 51; Clemens Kaminski, 59; Frank Lane, 40; Dolores Ramirez, 30; Gerald Rodriguez, 45; Randy Schimmel, 42; Byron Thomas, 32; Edward Todd, 50; Jesse Vasquez, Jr., 29; Mario Vasquez, 23; Robert Whitfield, 26, and Robert Villanueva, 24, of Tracy, Calif.

PHOTO GALLERY: View photos of the defendants

Fifteen of the defendants made preliminary appearances Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Toledo, where they each pleaded not guilty to the charges they faced. Magistrate James Knepp II presided over the proceeding that lasted several hours as the defendants, who wore both wrist and ankle shackles, were led into the courtroom in groups of five.

The charges and the possible penalties were reviewed with each defendant. Those not appearing were Lupe Hernandez, Jr., Gary Elliott, Byron Thomas, Edward Todd, and Robert Villanueva, who authorities said was arrested in California and is awaiting extradition. Mr. Todd was not in custody at the Lucas County jail Tuesday night.

With family members and friends in the gallery behind them -- some fighting back tears -- the defendants were each appointed an attorney and asked if they understood the charges.

Several family members declined to comment after the hearings.

Federal prosecutors informed defense counsel that the amount of evidence that will be turned over will be "very liberal" and that it would be available for all to examine at the local federal public defenders office. Each attorney also was given an envelope related to a specific client.

"We're reviewing the charges," said attorney Mark Jacobs, who was appointed to represent Francisco Gonzales.

Eight of the defendants waived their right to a hearing to determine whether they would be released on bond pending the case.

Detention hearings were scheduled for Matt Bocanegra, Kelly Bocanegra, Robert Whitfield, Dolores Ramirez, and Francisco Gonzales on Friday. Randy Schimmel and Gerald Rodriguez were scheduled hearings on Monday.

Judge Knepp asked attorneys to file any motions by June 14 and set a June 21 pretrial hearing before Judge Jack Zouhary, who is presiding.

Sergeant Heffernan said most of the defendants live in Toledo, but some live in outlying suburbs. Because the investigation is ongoing, he could not say who was the alleged ring leader of the network.

In the indictment, Hernandez, Kelly Bocanegra, and Joseph Gonzales are stated to have "obtained substantial quantities of heroin ... which heroin was distributed in the Toledo, Ohio, area through a number of midlevel distributors." The drugs then were distributed to other lower-level dealers. Drugs were trafficked into Toledo by drivers of semitrailer rigs, according to the indictment.

Sergeant Heffernan, who saw the entire investigation through, said at least half of the defendants are, in some way, related.

Everyone arrested Tuesday is a legal U.S. resident, he said.

"A lot of times you see that," he said. "You have these drug families who have been [allegedly] selling drugs for generations."

Many of the defendants have criminal histories in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court and Toledo Municipal Court, with charges including drug possession -- cocaine, heroin, and marijuana -- trafficking of drugs, and assault charges. At least one defendant has only minor traffic violations, according to court record searches.

Some defendants could face up to life in prison if convicted, Sergeant Heffernan said.

In Toledo, heroin is "probably our biggest problem right now," he said. "It's definitely been on the upswing in the last several years and I think it's directly related to the abuse of pharmaceuticals like Oxycontin and Percocet."

Throughout the course of the investigation, authorities seized guns. A machine gun was purchased from one of the defendants.

Property forfeited by the defendants includes vehicles, weapons, at least one real estate property, and about $60,000, according to the indictment.

The investigation was a joint effort between local and federal agencies, including the Toledo Metro Drug Task Force -- which includes members of the Toledo and Washington Township police departments -- and the FBI. The Lucas County Sheriff's Office also assisted.

Authorities said they wanted to make sure they got to the root of the organization, picking up as many suspects as possible.

"There may be some people who are still undetected, but my guess is that we have a pretty good idea of the parts of the organization that are still out there and that's the part we're still investigating," Sergeant Heffernan said. "This isn't over yet."

Blade staff writer Erica Blake contributed to this report.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com or 419-724-6054.

First Published May 11, 2011, 5:23 a.m.