A Washington D.C. man has been handed a 74-month prison sentence for his role in a fentanyl distribution ring and for carrying an illegal firearm. Keith Jones, 27, known by his alias "Chief," entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols on March 19, acknowledging his involvement in the conspiracy and possession of illegal firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, as reported yesterday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
At the time of his latest offense, when the trafficking took place, Jones was on supervised release after a robbery conviction in Maryland. The policing task forces led a comprehensive investigation which led to the unraveling of the "NO RATS ALLOWED" or "N.R.A." drug operation. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Jones and his cohorts, donning clothes with their insignia, stashed narcotics and weapons in several K Street townhouses, targeting them as drug distribution centers.
The group's criminal activities spanned from October 2021 to October 2023, with Jones masterminding the sales through various social media platforms and connecting with drug peddlers and customers. Investigators gleaned from Jones' Instagram and cell history clear evidence of his trafficking endeavors, distributing substances like crack cocaine, promethazine, marijuana, and counterfeit fentanyl pills. Some of these pills, distributed among the N.R.A. crew and to individual buyers, contained lethal amounts of fentanyl. Jones was caught during an attempted getaway on October 28, 2023, only after he dumped a loaded 40-caliber Smith and Wesson in a frequented apartment building lobby, which discharged inadvertently, narrowly missing two security personnel on duty.
Before this incident, Jones was subjected to the justice system in January 2020, convicted of robbery charges in Prince George’s County. His previous sentence was significantly reduced to just six days in jail followed by a probationary term of three years. After the recent guilty plea, in addition to prison, Jones faces a subsequent four-year supervised release – this is confirmed by the report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, with support from the Metropolitan Police Department, succeeded in capping Jones’ criminal venture which now brings the "No Rats Allowed" crew member face to face with federal consequences for his actions.
