Fairfield’s ‘Baby D’ and 2 Mason men indicted on narcotics conspiracy

A federal grand jury has charged 16 people, including a 24-year-old Fairfield man known as “Baby D,” in a 45-count indictment that includes charges of distribution of fentanyl, maintaining drug-involved premises, firearms offenses, and money laundering.

Two Mason men also are charged.

The indictment alleges a drug trafficking organization distributed more than 400 grams of fentanyl from September 2016 until agents executed search and arrest warrants on June 26.

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Through the course of the investigation, there were multiple alleged conversations between defendants discussing drug transactions, undercover police, surveillance and other dealers selling so-called bad dope and its effect on their business, the indictment read.

Those charged include:

  • Da'Marco Martez Browner II, also known as "Baby D" and "Kid," 24, from Fairfield
  • Keysean Dearis Dickey, also known as "Mike," 25, from Mason
  • Rajah Amire Swain, 21, from Mason
  • Edmond Christian Hurt, also known as "Eddie," 24, from Cincinnati
  • Chrisette Camilla Wade, 25, from Cincinnati
  • Ari Naiem Hodges, also known as "Big Mike," 'Fat Mike," and "Bundles," 23, from Cincinnati
  • Dominic Dashawn Davis, 26, from Cincinnati
  • Chaz Niko Jones, also known as "Juice," and "Z," 26, from Cincinnati
  • Christopher Javar Mathews, also known as "Jay" and "Smash," 29, from Cincinnati
  • Kiarra C. Thomas, 27, from Cincinnati
  • Mykeal Dawshawn Parker, 24, from Cincinnati
  • Devonte Shaunquinn Walker, 23, from Cincinnati
  • Damyia L. Engram, 31, from Cincinnati
  • Thomesha Walker, 25, from Cincinnati
  • Shonda Denise Jones, 44, from Cincinnati
  • Sherica Lynnae Shields, 24, from Cincinnati

Two defendants — Dickey and Engram — are currently fugitives, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office, text messages were sent to various defendants’ cellphones revealed communications asking about the quantity and quality of fentanyl. “Customers” allegedly texted the defendants complaining about getting “shorted” and asking for “fronts” on drugs.

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The U.S. Attorneys Office released an example of the text messages: on Aug. 13, 2016, Mathews, also known as “Jay” and “Z,” received this text message: “Chris ur … scale is off. I can take my grand a week else where!”

A message received a month later stated: “bro I cant barely move im so sick but no money yet today. Can I get a little bit on credit?”

Walker received a similar message from a user saying the user was “going out of town” and “just don’t want to be sick.”

Defendants also allegedly received text messages complaining about the quality of the drugs, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. An example of text message complaints include, “this … getting supppeerr weak btw kinda sucks a lil” and “… that was pure garbage. Did absolutely nothing. Big waste of $70! Pure waste.”

Each of the 16 defendants are charged with participating in a drug distributing conspiracy through various roles, such as leader, supplier of drugs, packager, holder, intermediary, helper, stash house operator and launderer of drug proceeds.

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“This indictment charges 16 people in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl in and around Cincinnati over the last nine months,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman. “Six of the defendants are also charged with laundering thousands of dollars of their drug money by renting dozens of cars, which were in turn used to support the drug-trafficking operation.”

Those involved in the investigation include the U.S. Departments of Drug Enforcement Agency and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Cincinnati Police. Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon is prosecuting the case.

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