OHIO — In a sweeping federal indictment, 15 individuals have been charged with participating in a large-scale Drug Trafficking Operation (DTO) accused of distributing counterfeit fentanyl pills throughout Elyria, Lorain, and parts of Northeast Ohio.

The indictment, unsealed earlier this week, follows a year-and-a-half-long investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, targeting a network allegedly responsible for widespread fentanyl distribution.

The investigation was led by the DEA, with significant support from the FBI, local police in Lorain and Elyria, and the Lorain County Drug Task Force.

This collaborative effort led to a series of arrests, along with the seizure of fentanyl pills, cash, and illegally possessed firearms.

The case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which aims to dismantle high-level criminal organizations across the U.S. through multi-agency cooperation.

“Taking thousands of these deadly pills off the streets” was made possible, said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko, through “collaboration among law enforcement agencies.”

She emphasized the extreme danger of fentanyl, especially when disguised as legitimate medication, which she said “heightens the overdose danger.”

The DTO’s alleged leaders, Ronald Whittaker and Tyvez McCullum, are accused of managing the organization’s structure, with Whittaker reportedly supplying fentanyl to McCullum, who then distributed it to the 13 other defendants.

The indictment details how the DTO allegedly distributed over 42,000 blue fentanyl pills, disguised as prescription drugs, throughout Elyria and Lorain.

Federal authorities say these counterfeit pills pose a heightened overdose risk, as users may not realize they contain fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid.

The 15 defendants, charged with various drug trafficking offenses, include:

• Ronald Whittaker, 31, Cleveland
• Tyvez McCullum, 30, Elyria
• Ivan Barrios, 45, Lorain
• Tavon Martin, 28, Lorain
• Jaivon Wint, 27, Lorain
• Katlynn Caudill, 22, Lorain
• Nicholas Thomson, 47, Elyria
• Max Kennedy, 19, Wellington
• Jordan Johnson, 29, Elyria
• Angela Shuck, 35, Lorain
• Stacey Thomson, 48, Elyria
• Tyrone Phillips, 25, Elyria
• Joseph Kushner, 32, Berea
• Nicholas Burkholder, 29, Elyria
• Aubrey Brown, 29, Elyria

These individuals face charges related to fentanyl distribution and conspiracy.

If convicted, their sentences will be determined by factors such as criminal history and each defendant’s role within the DTO.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville Greene emphasized the agency’s commitment to “leveraging every available resource to defeat Drug Trafficking Organizations spreading deadly poisons in Ohio.”

Fentanyl remains a significant contributor to overdose deaths across Ohio and the United States, and authorities are increasingly focused on dismantling DTOs responsible for trafficking the drug.

According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco play a major role in smuggling fentanyl into the U.S., with local DTOs like this one helping to distribute it within communities.

While the charges represent a serious step against drug trafficking in Ohio, officials stress that the fight is far from over.