Ryan Rasheed Shaw, a 29-year-old from Philadelphia, was sentenced on Mar. 24 to 240 months in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Northern District of West Virginia, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Shaw acted as the main contact for the operation’s leader Rodney Johnson in Philadelphia and managed drug distribution activities in Morgantown. Authorities said Shaw supplied significant quantities of drugs to local dealers and was responsible for nearly 3.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 379 grams of fentanyl.
Johnson received an 188-month sentence in March of the previous year. All 24 defendants involved have been convicted, with Shaw among the eighteen who have already been sentenced.
The investigation was conducted by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force—a group funded by HIDTA—that includes agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; West Virginia State Police; Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Morgantown Police Department; WVU Police Department; Granville Police Department; and Star City Police Department.
Fentanyl has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction due to its high lethality even in small amounts. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
