WASHINGTON – In a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of street-level drug dealing, Jevaughn Mark, 33, of Washington D.C., was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for running a prolific drug delivery service that included the December 2023 sale of fentanyl he sold as “ketamine” that resulted in the deaths of two men, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mark, aka “Ledo,” pleaded guilty March 14, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and to felon in possession of a firearm. As part of the plea agreement, Mark accepted responsibility for causing the deaths of Brandon Román and Robert Barletta. In addition to the 15-year prison sentence, Judge Chutkan ordered Mark to serve five years of supervised release.
“This defendant peddled poisonous drugs, marketed as ketamine but containing fentanyl, to unsuspecting people and, when challenged by multiple customers, he disregarded the alarms they sounded and continued to sell the same product,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This blatant disregard for human life – in the name of profit – is unconscionable. This office is here to protect every member of our community. If you are a danger to the public and selling fentanyl, we will take every legal measure to neutralize the threat.”
According to court documents, from at least January 2021, until the time of their arrests in March 2024, Mark along with his brother, Angelo, sold dangerous drugs throughout the metropolitan area – often hand delivering the narcotics himself – for at least three years. He developed a “menu” of drugs that he texted to his clients. On the menu, Mark listed “raw pure” cocaine and regular cocaine. Mark added “ketamine” to the menu in November 2023.
On Dec. 26, 2023, Mark sold 3.5 grams of “raw” cocaine and three grams of “ketamine” to Brandon Román. Recovered text messages indicate it was the first time Mark made a sale of “ketamine” to Román. However, the “ketamine” Mark sold to his client contained no actual ketamine; instead, it consisted of fentanyl, xylazine, and caffeine. Román and his friend, Robert Barletta, were found unresponsive the next day.
The DEA tested the leftover “ketamine” found at the scene and confirmed it to be fentanyl, xylazine, and caffeine. Investigators recovered text messages that led them directly to Mark. Between Jan 10, 2024, and Mar. 13, 2024, undercover officers from MPD and DEA made six controlled purchases of approximately 127 grams of fentanyl and 18 grams of cocaine Each time the undercover officer asked to purchase ketamine. Each time Mark provided fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Dan Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking (VCNT) section.
Related Federal Cases
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- Darknet ‘King’ Gets 6.5 Years for Deadly Fentanyl Pills · Washington
- DC Dealer Gets 20 Months in Fentanyl, Coke Ring · Alabama
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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