Fentanyl Killed Him. Dealer Faces Life.

⏱ 3 min read

Elyria, OH – Roderick Cross Jr., 34, known on the street as “Chubb,” is facing a federal indictment for supplying the fentanyl-laced drugs that killed a man identified as J.K. on March 15th. Authorities say Cross knowingly peddled a mix of cocaine and the deadly synthetic opioid, leading directly to the overdose death.

The feds and Elyria PD moved quickly, raiding two spots connected to Cross. They didn’t find sympathy. The search turned up firearms, raw fentanyl, and the usual tools for a corner dope dealer. This wasn’t some first-time screw-up; Cross is a career criminal with a rap sheet stretching back over a decade.

Court records show Cross previously caught charges for Attempted Murder and Felonious Assault in 2010, a Robbery conviction in 2018, and other prior drug offenses in 2025. Adding insult to injury (and charges), the convicted felon was also busted for possessing a firearm. That’s a whole other layer of trouble for him.

The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI’s Cleveland Division, the Elyria Police Department-Narcotics Unit, and the FBI’s Lorain/Elyria Safe Streets Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Crook and Stephanie Wojtasik are handling the prosecution. If convicted, Cross is looking at a minimum of 20 years, but prosecutors are pushing for life due to the overdose death and his long criminal history. He’s presumed innocent, of course, until a jury says otherwise.