Top row, L-R, Jaylen Allen, Ricky Chambers, Eugene Herrod, Taviaun Love. Bottom row, L-R, Devinique Manjarrez, Xzavier Newsom, Darius Ricks, Peyton Shipman-Allen. (Brown Co. and Milwaukee Co. Jail)
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Eight men were sentenced for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking organization operating in Green Bay.
They are:
- Ricky Q. Chambers, 29, of Green Bay was sentenced to 17 years in prison, followed by 7 years of supervised release
- Jaylen T. Allen, 25, of Green Bay was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release
- Peyton Shipman-Allen, 33, of Green Bay was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release
- Taviaun S. Love, 24, of Green Bay was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 8 years of supervised release
- Darius D. Ricks, 32, of Milwaukee was sentenced to 10 years in prison, followed by 7 years of supervised release
- Xzavier T. Newsom, 29, of Green Bay was sentenced to 9 years in prison, followed by 6 years of supervised release
- Eugene L. Herrod, 34, of Green Bay was sentenced to 4 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release
- Devinique E. Manjarrez, 28, of Goodyear, Arizona, was sentenced to time served, followed by 3 years of supervised release
Seven of the eight defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Ricky Chambers was found guilty following a jury trial.
According to court records and evidence presented in court, the defendants operated a large-scale drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills in the Green Bay and Milwaukee areas. Several members referred to themselves as “GTR,” short for “Getting to Riches.” Members of the organization frequently traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where they purchased large quantities of fentanyl pills. They then shipped the pills to various cities throughout the Midwest before distributing them in and around Green Bay.
During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 175,000 fentanyl pills connected to the organization.
The investigation also revealed that members of GTR spent thousands of dollars on luxury travel, expensive jewelry, luxury vehicles, designer clothing, and rap video productions. Members regularly displayed large amounts of cash and luxury items on social media while promoting their music and public image. In one video, Jaylen Allen displayed a luxury watch and stated, “We really rich off nothing but fentanyl.” In numerous other videos and photographs, members of the organization posed with tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
At Chambers’ trial, an expert in drug trafficking testified that high-level fentanyl traffickers can purchase fentanyl pills in Phoenix for as little as 50 cents per pill and resell those same pills in Green Bay for up to $20 per pill. The expert also testified that seven out of ten fentanyl pills tested at DEA crime laboratories contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
“The successful conclusion of this case is another example of the relentless work conducted by the Brown County Drug Task Force in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin and the nation. Through coordinated investigations and proactive enforcement efforts, law enforcement continues to target those responsible for bringing dangerous drugs into our communities” said Brown County Sheriff, Todd Delain. “The Brown County Drug Task Force remains committed to protecting the public and holding drug traffickers accountable. Those who choose to come to Brown County to profit from the distribution of illegal narcotics should understand that it is only a matter of time before they are arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable for their actions. Today, these drug dealers are no longer living a life of luxury — they are serving lengthy sentences behind bars!”
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