COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sa’d Watkins, 44, has been locked away for a solid decade and a half after being sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by the U.S. District Court for his role as a key player in the fentanyl trade across central Ohio.
Watkins, who operated from September 2021 to July 2024, has been found guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess over 400 grams of the deadly drug. His reign of terror came to an end when law enforcement uncovered his stash houses, which were used not only for processing and distributing narcotics but also for harboring firearms and cash totaling over $120,000.
According to court documents, Watkins employed others to lease these hideouts, further expanding his reach in the drug trade. The fentanyl supply he provided to mid-level and low-level traffickers posed a significant threat to the community’s safety.
The defendant’s criminal history spans decades, marked by charges including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery, and various firearms and drug offenses. His latest conviction was secured when a federal grand jury indicted him in July 2024, leading to his guilty plea in February 2025.
Today’s sentence was announced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison, with Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch representing the prosecution. The investigation into Watkins was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, now integrated into Operation Take Back America – a nationwide effort to combat illegal immigration, eliminate cartels, and protect communities from violent crime.
Watkins’s sentencing is another victory for law enforcement agencies like the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Delaware County Sheriff Jeffrey Balzer, and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant, who all contributed to his downfall.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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