Ricks & Crew: 60 Indicted in Cleveland Heroin Ring

CLEVELAND, OH – Sixty individuals are facing federal charges and another 32 are facing state charges following a massive takedown of a heroin trafficking ring that allegedly pumped poison into the streets of Greater Cleveland. The operation, which stretched from at least September 2011 through this month, sourced heroin from Chicago and Atlanta, according to indictments unsealed today.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, alongside the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office, announced the indictments. Key players identified in the 203-count federal indictment include Keith Ricks, Brandy M. Bates, and Dammarkro S. Nolan, accused of directly importing heroin from Atlanta via mail and vehicle. The indictment alleges that Ricks, along with Maurice Golston, Dionte Thompson, and Leamon Shephard, pooled resources to finance heroin purchases from Atlanta.

The heroin wasn’t just moved; it was systematically distributed. Ricks allegedly acted as a central hub, supplying dealers like Shephard, Golston, Marcus Blue, Maceo Moore, Gregory Hamilton, and Robert Belk. Shephard and Moore then allegedly expanded the network, funneling heroin to even more street-level dealers, including Jamez Jamel Webb II, Rolando J. Reed, and Terrance Fletcher. But the operation wasn’t limited to drug dealing. The indictment paints a picture of ruthless violence used to maintain control and fund the operation.

Investigators discovered the group wasn’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Ricks, Moore, Shephard, Blue, Golston, Nolan, and others allegedly committed burglaries and robberies targeting rival drug dealers, customers, and even each other. Stolen goods and cash were reportedly used to finance further drug purchases or sold at discounted prices. The indictment details chilling tactics: identifying vulnerable victims based on displays of wealth, using women to gather intelligence, and employing firearms and zip ties to restrain those who resisted. They even conducted counter-surveillance, posting lookouts and monitoring court records to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.

A parallel operation, led by Jovan Fussell and others, allegedly brought heroin from Chicago into Cleveland. This supply was then distributed to dealers like Kenneth E. Harris, Gregory Hamilton, David E. McCall, Jr., and Pierre A. Campbell. Harris then allegedly expanded the network further, supplying Frederick L. Darling, Gregory T. Savage, Jr., Terrance L. Fletcher, and others. Darling, in turn, reportedly distributed the heroin to Eugene Miller, Thomas C. McCully, and a host of other dealers.

“These defendants used firearms and violence to fund an operation that brought heroin, and the death it causes, from across the country into Greater Cleveland,” stated U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach. “Far from some of these defendants’ glamorous view of themselves, the suffering they caused unmasks them for what they are – greedy heroin dealers who cared about little besides money.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony added that the individuals represent “the worst of the worst,” endangering citizens while profiting from the misery of addiction. The investigation involved a comprehensive strategy by local, state, and federal agencies, signaling a concerted effort to dismantle organized crime in the region.