Devonsha Dabney, Drug Trafficking, North Dakota 2023

FARGO, N.D. – Devonsha Dabney, 29, of Detroit, Michigan, is headed to federal prison for 15 years after being convicted of leading a drug trafficking operation that preyed on vulnerable communities in North Dakota. Dabney, also known as Kemell, was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter D. Welte in Fargo on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, following a guilty plea to Continuing Criminal Enterprise. The sentence includes 180 months incarceration, four years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Letter to Reub,” was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that exposed a multi-state network trafficking oxycodone and fentanyl-laced pills. Federal prosecutors say Dabney and his crew deliberately targeted the Fort Berthold and Spirit Lake Indian Reservations, exploiting areas with limited law enforcement presence to maximize profits. They utilized local residences as stash houses and recruited both Detroit-area associates and local users to distribute the deadly drugs.

Investigators uncovered a lineage of criminal activity stretching back to 2015. The organization initially began with Reuben Rambus trafficking pills from Detroit to North Dakota. Following Rambus’ death, his brother, Romel Rambus, took the reins, partnering with Dabney to expand the operation. By approximately 2017, Dabney had allegedly established himself as the primary leader of pill distribution in North Dakota, recruiting and overseeing a network of distributors.

This wasn’t just a simple supplier-distributor relationship. Authorities revealed that Jonathan B. Walker, a/k/a Jay, initially supplied Dabney with pills, but quickly transitioned into a full-fledged trafficker himself, concerned about unaccounted funds. Walker, sentenced on October 2, 2023, also received 180 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $500 special assessment. Like Dabney, Walker pled guilty to Continuing Criminal Enterprise, and operated with multiple individuals working under his direction, using rental vehicles to move drugs and collect proceeds throughout North Dakota and other states.

A total of forty-one individuals have been charged as part of “Operation Letter to Reub,” including members of the 5674 Reub Gang, IUR (Iced Up Records), and CCL (Chicken Chaser Loyalty). The ATF, alongside the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, spearheaded the investigation. U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider delivered a stark warning: “Drug traffickers who think Indian country is a soft target because of a perceived lack of law enforcement resources ought to think again.”

The investigation resulted in the forfeiture of US Currency, jewelry, and other assets linked to Dabney’s criminal enterprise. The case highlights the persistent threat of drug trafficking targeting Native American communities and the ongoing efforts of federal agencies to dismantle these criminal networks. The full extent of the organization’s impact on the affected reservations remains under scrutiny as the investigation continues.

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