Ohio Fentanyl Kingpin Sentenced to 30 Years

AKRON, OHIO – A Cleveland man has been sent to prison for his role in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking organization that brought in customers from as far away as Trumbull, Medina, Wayne, and Lorain Counties.

Brandon Bryant, 28, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 365 months (over 30 years) in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug felony.

According to court documents, Bryant was a key member of a fentanyl trafficking organization that operated on Cleveland’s eastside between September 2019 and February 2022. He received large amounts of fentanyl from his codefendant Devonn Fair, and then redistributed it to customers in the Cleveland area.

Bryant maintained multiple residences on the east side of Cleveland for the purpose of distributing and storing controlled substances. The organization drew customers from as far away as Trumbull, Medina, Wayne, and Lorain Counties.

Bryant was one of 24 defendants charged in this indictment. All 24 defendants have been convicted and sentenced, with other notable sentences including:

• Devonn Fair, the organization’s primary fentanyl supplier, sentenced to 420 months in prison.
• Ramel Drew, who sold fentanyl to the organization’s customers, sentenced to 327 months in prison.
• Branea Bryant, who laundered the organization’s drug proceeds, sentenced to 290 months in prison.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cartel, Gang, Narcotics, and Laundering Task Force (CGNL) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CID), with assistance from multiple local law enforcement agencies.

Bryant was ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release following his release from prison, and will also forfeit drug-related assets, including a Rolex watch, $13,093 in U.S. Currency, and two vehicles.