Father and Son Charged in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy

Greenbelt, Maryland - The U.S. Attorney's Office announced, today, that authorities arrested and charged a Maryland father and son with illegally distributing more than a kilogram of fentanyl.

Rashad Deondre Hicks, 36, of Largo, is charged by complaint with distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lawrence Alonzo Hicks, 62, of District Heights, is also charged with possession with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. The charges are in connection with a months-long investigation involving multiple sales of fentanyl.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the arrests with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - Washington Division; Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox, FBI Washington Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Interim Chief of Police Jeffery W. Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department; Chief George Nader, Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD); and Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff's Office (CCSO).

According to court documents, beginning in January 2026, the DEA, FBI, and CCSO began investigating Rashad Hicks, who authorities believed was selling large quantities of fentanyl that was provided to him by Lawrence Hicks. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer to make eight controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rashad Hicks. The controlled purchases totaled more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl with a street value of more than $100,000.

Additionally, at the time of the arrests, law enforcement executed several search warrants. Law enforcement recovered from Rashad Hicks's residence approximately 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1018 grams of suspected cocaine base, two loaded firearms, and approximately $5,000 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement recovered from Lawrence Hicks's residence approximately 9.51 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 2.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine base, 4.4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. The street value of the recovered illegal narcotics is approximately $1,700,000.

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by criminal complaint are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

If convicted, Rashad and Lawrence Hicks face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in federal prison for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, MPD, PGPD, and CCSO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and William Moomau who are prosecuting this federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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