Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 75 Months on Narcotics and Weapons Charges

WASHINGTON - Rashaad Malik McDowell, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 75 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Washington Field Division.

McDowell pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered McDowell to serve three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McDowell's residence on Harvard Street NW. Agents recovered a loaded Glock firearm with 17 rounds in its extended magazine in McDowell's bedroom. They also seized distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine. McDowell admitted that he possessed the narcotics seized from his bedroom and had intended to distribute them. He also admitted that the seized firearm was used in furtherance of his drug distribution.

McDowell was not present during the time of the February 2023 search, and following the search, he actively evaded law enforcement. Before and after this search, McDowell used his Instagram account to advertise controlled substances and arrange drug sales. McDowell also continued to possess firearms and distribute a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl, in the months following the February 2023 search.

On July 12, 2023, agents executed another search warrant at McDowell's residence and recovered a stolen loaded Glock handgun. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl, PCP, marijuana, and a digital scale from McDowell's bedroom.

McDowell was indicted on federal firearms and narcotics charges on July 25, 2023, and charged with additional counts in a superseding indictment on September 7, 2023. McDowell ultimately pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' Washington Field Division with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor and the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Crosby, Javier Urbina, Christopher Marin, and Robert Sainvil.

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