Jamiek Bassil and Charles Manson, residents of the District of Columbia, received prison sentences for their involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Bassil was sentenced to 135 months, while Manson received 175 months. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bassil, known as "Onion," pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered him to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.
Manson, referred to as "Cheese," pleaded guilty to several charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm related to drug trafficking. He also faces five years of supervised release after serving his sentence.
The two men were part of the "21st and Vietnam" crew that operated an open-air drug market in Northeast Washington, D.C. Court documents reveal that Bassil sold large quantities of fentanyl to undercover law enforcement between January and March 2024.
Manson engaged in direct sales with customers and participated in controlled drug transactions observed by law enforcement. In March 2024, he was involved in a shooting incident near I Street NE but did not injure anyone.
In May 2024, authorities arrested Manson at his residence where they found firearms, ammunition, fentanyl analogue, cocaine, and other paraphernalia.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies including the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel are prosecuting the case.
