Thomas, a 26-year-old man from Washington D.C., has been sentenced to 160 months in federal prison by the U.S. District Court. This comes as a result of his involvement in a significant fentanyl trafficking operation, as revealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia.
Thomas admitted his guilt on May 30 for participating in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. The investigation was sparked by the tragic overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother from Southeast D.C., as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Law enforcement not only prosecuted the case that resulted in death, but also conducted a thorough investigation that revealed a large-scale trafficking network. This network was responsible for smuggling fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles and eventually to the District of Columbia. This information was reported by the Department of Justice.
According to the department, they have seized over 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms during the investigation.
Thomas became involved in the operation when he was introduced to a drug trafficker based in Los Angeles who was distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, as stated in court documents.
Thomas traveled to Southern California to buy the counterfeit pills from the supplier.
Thomas and his accomplices employed two primary techniques to transport the pills to the district: they either concealed them in their luggage or carry-on items during flights, or they shipped them through commercial mail services. This information was uncovered from court documents.
Thomas often took to social media to brag about the immense profits he made from trafficking fentanyl, proudly showcasing the wealth he had amassed.
On June 2, 2023, when Thomas was arrested, law enforcement discovered him in the bedroom of his residence. During the search, they recovered a bag containing around 100 blue M-30 pills that were counterfeit and laced with fentanyl. Additionally, they found a loaded Glock 21 Gen4 pistol equipped with a “giggle switch,” which allowed it to function as a fully automatic machine gun. This information was reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The department stated that Thomas, who goes by the rap stage name “Cruddy Murda,” not only possessed a machine gun and conspired to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl but also frequently boasted about firearms and acts of violence in his songs.
