Leroy Shuarod Steele, 36, of Akron, Ohio, admitted in federal court to selling fentanyl obtained from China that led directly to a fatal overdose, setting the stage for a likely 20-year prison sentence. The admission marks another grim chapter in the opioid epidemic ravaging communities across the state.
Steele pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl, according to court documents. The drugs he pushed into local circulation claimed the life of a victim identified only as T.R., who died of an overdose on March 21, 2015, in Akron. Authorities say the batch was deadly from the start, sourced through international smuggling routes.
Steele conspired with Sabrina M. Robinson and Ryan Sumlin between March and April of this year to import and distribute fentanyl across Summit County, specifically targeting users in Akron and Fairlawn. The trio relied on suppliers in China to ship the synthetic opioid, bypassing borders and flooding neighborhoods with lethal doses.
Sumlin now faces an additional charge of distribution of fentanyl causing the death of another individual, who overdosed on March 28, 2015, in Akron. Robinson has already pled guilty in the case. Sumlin’s case remains pending, with no trial date set.
Steele and Robinson are scheduled to be sentenced on April 19. Prosecutors are pushing for maximum penalties, citing the irreversible harm caused by their actions. This case reflects the federal government’s broader crackdown on international drug networks supplying Ohio with deadly substances.
“This is another human life lost to opioids brought to Ohio from China,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “We will continue to push for long prison sentences for drug dealers who kill our neighbors and relatives, while also working to reduce the number of opioids on the street, making treatment more readily available and educating our community about the dangers posed by these drugs.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda H. Barr following a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Akron Police Department, and Fairlawn Police Department.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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