Robert Shannon, Fentanyl Trafficking, New York 2022

Grimy Times has learned of a significant sentence handed down in a major narcotics trafficking operation. Robert Shannon, a/k/a Tank, was sentenced to 260 months in prison for his role in a large-scale narcotics trafficking operation that sold kilogram quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine.

The operation, which was based out of a narcotics mill and stash house in East Orange, New Jersey, was led by Shannon and co-defendants Kareem Roderique and Nikia King. The group obtained large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine and utilized their stash house to mix, bag up, and prepare the drugs to sell to other drug dealers.

According to court documents, the group also obtained and kept two loaded firearms in the stash house to protect their drugs and supplies. On October 27, 2020, law enforcement agents arrested Roderique in the Bronx as he was attempting to purchase five kilograms of cocaine for the drug trafficking operation.

Shannon was arrested later that night as he was exiting the East Orange stash house. Inside his car, law enforcement agents recovered a weighted black bag containing over 1,000 individual glassines envelopes of fentanyl and an additional bag containing over 1,000 doses of powdered fentanyl.

Inside the stash house, law enforcement agents found approximately three kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, black tar heroin, narcotics cutting agent, cash, and two loaded firearms. Agents also discovered narcotics trafficking supplies and equipment used to weigh, package, and sell fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine on the street.

Shannon was convicted after trial of narcotics conspiracy and using and carrying firearms during and in relation to, or possessing firearms in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan to 260 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

In addition to Shannon's sentence, co-defendant Kareem Roderique was previously sentenced to 200 months in prison, and co-defendant Nikia King was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Roderique was also sentenced to five years of supervised release, while King was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office's Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael was involved in the prosecution.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/fentanyl-traffickers-sentenced-almost-22-years-and-almost-17-years-prison