8 indicted for fentanyl trafficking, one with ties to “Mall Boys” gang

Eight people have been federally indicted on charges of dealing fentanyl, tramadol and heroin, including one man with suspected ties to the “Mall Boys” gang that law enforcement said is responsible for bringing large amounts of drugs to the Dayton area.

Darion Stargell, who Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer said is suspected as being part of the Mall Boys, has three pending cases in Montgomery County Common Pleas court involving drug possession, trafficking and weapons charges.

Stargell, 27, now is indicted in Dayton’s U.S. District Court on counts of trafficking more than 400 grams of fentanyl plus heroin and tramadol. Stargell was arrested after a Jan. 27 incident in which law enforcement thought he drove a pickup that rammed into R.A.N.G.E. Task Force officers, who returned fire and grazed another man at the Hawthorn Suites near the Dayton Mall.

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The 15-count federal indictment also includes charges of using a cell phone for drug trafficking and one defendant who is allegedly an illegal alien who already has been removed from the United States.

Fermin Garcia-Gutierrez, 40, has twice been removed from the United States after being found in the country illegally. Garcia also was indicted on conspiracy and trafficking.

The others indicted: Jose Angel Ramirez-Nazario; Sergio Candelas-Ruiz; Lizabeth Ruiz; Marcus Williams; Kuron Evans; and Jorge Bejarano.

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A criminal complaint said that on Jan. 28, the R.A.N.G.E. task force was watching a Dayton residence on Stewart Street and followed a Chevrolet Cavalier as it traveled on Interstate 75 South.

A Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy observed an equipment violation and attempted a stop but the car continued at a high rated of speed, the complaint said.

“The Cavalier started smoking heavily and the engine appeared to fail in the area of I-75 at Austin (Boulevard),” Drug Enforcement Administration special agent Steven Lucas wrote. Ramirez was the driver and Garcia the passenger.

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A K-9 alerted to narcotics and a black bag observed during surveillance was missing, but there was a powdery residue on the passenger seat, Lucas wrote.

The complaint said enforcement located five kilograms of a substance that later tested positive for fentanyl and another bag that “appeared to have busted open on impact with the roadway.”

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Garcia told investigators he was kidnapped and told he would assist in selling drugs in the United States, the complaint said, adding that Ramirez said he was to be paid $300 to help Garcia go Tto Dayton and pick up a package that was to be taken to an unknown person in Hamilton.

Several defendants are currently scheduled for trial Aug. 7.

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