Vernon Powell, a 44-year-old resident of Cincinnati, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for narcotics-related offenses. The sentence was handed down by the U.S. District Court after Powell committed new drug crimes while on supervised release.
Court documents reveal that Powell mailed a kilogram of cocaine from Houston to Cincinnati in June 2023. Further investigations led to searches at properties linked to Powell on Compton Road and Bassett Road in October 2023. These searches uncovered cocaine, fentanyl, multiple firearms, and over $28,000 in cash.
Powell was previously serving a supervised release following a 15-year prison sentence for drug and firearm offenses. In September 2023, he petitioned the court for early termination of his supervised release, arguing that the “barriers of supervision” hindered his ability to “excel as he knows he is capable.”
In October 2024, Powell pleaded guilty to charges of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
The sentencing announcement was made by Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey; and other members of the Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Timothy D. Oakley are handling the case for the prosecution.
