Drug Dealer Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison For Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

 Mickens Possessed over 200 Fentanyl Capsules, 35 Mannite Bars, One Pound of Marijuana and Other Drug Paraphernalia

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Rasheed Mickens, age 35, of Catonsville, Maryland to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.

Mickens has prior criminal convictions that include a 2006 carjacking conviction and a 2011 conviction for possession with intent to distribute narcotics.

According to his plea agreement, while conducting undercover surveillance at a Baltimore motel on July 8, 2020, the Baltimore County Police Department Vice Narcotics Special Enforcement Team observed a suspicious interaction between two male suspects. One male suspect was the passenger in a sedan and the other male arrived driving a pickup truck.

After the interaction concluded, law enforcement followed the sedan on I-695 driven by a female with the male passenger.  Officers observed the male passenger hand the female driver an item while she was driving. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and recovered a total of 48 capsules containing white powder from the male passenger and female driver. An additional bag containing 50 capsules were discovered within the vehicle. The male passenger informed law enforcement that they purchased a total of 100 capsules of fentanyl for $300. Two of the fentanyl capsules were consumed while driving. The male suspect also informed law enforcement that he purchased the drugs from a man named “Mike” at the Baltimore motel. Lab results confirmed that the powder contained in the remaining 98 capsules was fentanyl.

As stated in the plea agreement, detectives returned to the Baltimore motel to locate the suspect known as “Mike”. The male suspect law enforcement observed in the hand to hand transaction was seen exiting a motel room carrying a backpack and several bags to the pickup truck seen earlier that day. As detectives approached and identified themselves to the male suspect, the suspect fled on foot. He was later captured and identified as Mickens.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Mickens informed law enforcement that there were drugs in his truck. Law enforcement recovered 213 capsules of fentanyl, 96 grams of fentanyl, one pound of marijuana, 44 individual baggies of marijuana, 35 mannite bars, a bag labeled “10,000” capsules containing several unused capsules, a loaded 9mm pistol, and three flip phones from the pickup truck. Additional white powder capsules and other drug paraphernalia was recovered from Mickens’s backpack.

Mickens agrees that the controlled substances recovered included more than 40 grams of fentanyl and that the quantity of controlled substances was a sufficient quantity to indicate an intent to distribute. Mickens also agrees that the firearm located in the vehicle was possessed in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.

Acting United States Attorney Jonathan F. Lenzner praised the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Lenzner thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham who prosecuted the case.