STEUBENVILLE — A city man will spend at least 14 years behind bars — and possibly up to 19.5 years — for his role in a major drug trafficking operation in the Steubenville area.

Common Pleas Judge Michelle Miller sentenced Lionel Robert Lindsey, 52, to 11-16.5 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing fentanyl-related compound and cocaine plus another mandatory three-year sentence because he had a firearm in his possession despite being prohibited from having or using guns because of a 2000 conviction for aggravated crack-cocaine trafficking.

Lindsey also was ordered by Miller to forfeit $163,909 in cash as well as eight vehicles — among them a Merceses-Benz, a Bentley Continental, a GMC Yukon, two Audis, an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and two motorcycles — and faces an additional two- to five-years of post-release control after he’s released from prison.

Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said the court “determined that Lindsey was a major drug offender due to the sheer weight of the drugs involved in his investigation.”

“Mr. Lindsey was an essential part of the notorious drug ring operated by Lavocni Brown, who was sentenced last month to 16.5 mandatory years in prison,” Hanlin said. “His removal from our community is just another step in vigorously prosecuting those who seek to profit from the deadly drugs that harm so many of our most vulnerable citizens. I would specifically like to offer my thanks to Sgt. Rob Cook of the Steubenville Police Department for his tireless work on this matter. He, along with the Jefferson County Drug Task Force, was instrumental in the takedown of this organization.”

The drug task force had reported seizing at least 18.5 pounds of drugs when they raided raided three houses in Steubenville and a storage unit on Reichart Avenue, Wintersville.

A co-conspirator, Lavocni Brown, 42, formerly of Pennsylvania Avenue, pleaded guilty in June to six counts of trafficking drugs and sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 16 years in prison.

Brown, who prosecutors described as the “kingpin” of a massive fentanyl and cocaine trafficking operation, also forfeited a 2014 Cadillac CTS, a 2018 Audi A6, a 2020 Chevy Suburban and $6,540 in cash, all deemed proceeds of the drug trafficking operation.

“For as much effort as these drug dealers put into keeping their activity secret, from the moment that Lavocni Brown was incarcerated at the Jefferson County Jail, he began making video calls directing his subordinates to continue selling drugs,” Hanlin said. “The audacity of that is mind blowing.”

Still awaiting trial is 56-year-old woman, Cherie Nelson, 616 Lawson Ave. According to her indictment, Nelson had in excess of 100 grams of cocaine in her possession when she was taken into custody. Authorities also are seeking major drug offender and firearm specifications against Nelson and are asking the court to order her to forfeit her home, a 1997 Jeep Wrangler and $1,430 in cash, deemed to be proceeds of the alleged illegal drug trafficking.

Nelson’s trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 16.