A Maryland father and son have been arrested and charged with federal drug offenses following a months-long investigation in which authorities say more than a kilogram of fentanyl was sold to an undercover officer.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Rashad Deondre Hicks, 36, of Largo, and Lawrence Alonzo Hicks, 62, of District Heights, are each charged with offenses involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Investigators allege Lawrence Hicks supplied fentanyl to his son, who then sold the drugs.
Beginning in January, authorities conducted eight controlled purchases from Rashad Hicks totaling more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl with an estimated street value exceeding $100,000, according to court documents.
During searches conducted at the time of the arrests, authorities said they recovered approximately 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, more than a kilogram of suspected cocaine base, two loaded firearms and about $5,000 from Rashad Hicks’ residence. At Lawrence Hicks’ residence, investigators allegedly recovered approximately 9.51 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 2.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine base, 4.4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and about $10,000. Authorities estimated the street value of the drugs recovered during the searches at approximately $1.7 million.
If convicted of the fentanyl charges, each man faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison. The charges are allegations, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
