35-Year-Old Rasheed Mickens Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Drug & Firearm Possession
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Officials announced that a Catonsville man was sentenced to ten years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Rasheed Mickens, 35, possessed over 200 fentanyl capsules, 35 mannite bars, one pound of marijuana and additional drug paraphernalia, according to officials. He also has prior convictions including a 2006 carjacking.
According to his plea, on July 8, 2020, Baltimore County Police Department Vice Narcotics Special Enforcement team observed a suspicious interaction between two male suspects while conducting undercover surveillance. Following the interaction, police followed a vehicle driven by a female on I-695 with a male passenger.
Officers pulled the vehicle over after observing the male passenger hand an item to the driver. During the stop, officers recovered a total of 48 capsules containing white powder from both occupants. An additional 50 capsules were found within the vehicle.
The male passenger informed law enforcement that they purchased a total of $100 capsules of fentanyl for $300 and consumed two while driving. He said that he purchased the drugs from a man named "Mike."
The plea agreement states that the detectives returned to the location to find the suspect "Mike." There, they observed transactions between the suspect and customers. When officers attempted to approach the suspect, he fled on foot. He was later captured and identified as Mickens.
After being detained, Mickens told officers he had drugs in his truck. Officials found 213 capsules of fentanyl, 96 grams of fentanyl, one pound of marijuana, 44 individual baggies of marijuana, 35 mannite bars, a bag labeled "10,000" capsules containing several unused capsules, a loaded 9mm pistol, and three flip phones from the pickup truck. Other drug paraphernalia was also recovered.
Mickens said the substances had more than 40 grams of fentanyl and that the number of controlled substances was a sufficient quantity to indicate an intent to distribute and that the firearm located in the vehicle was possessed to further his drug trafficking crimes.