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City man admits drug ring role in federal court

WHEELING — A Steubenville resident has admitted to his role in a cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced Wednesday.

Rashaan Donell Mukes, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine hydrochloride, cocaine base, heroin and fentanyl.

Mukes admitted to working with others to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in Hancock County and elsewhere from February 2018 to August 2019.

Mukes faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant, according to information from Powell’s office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danae DeMasi-Lemon and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Ohio Valley Drug and Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Jefferson County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force; the Hancock County and Brooke County sheriff’s departments; the Weirton Police Department; and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police investigated.

The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program. The OCDETF program supplies federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided over the case.

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