In an extensive operation targeting opioid trafficking in Minneapolis, nine individuals connected with the "Big Sip Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)" face indictments announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. These charges come as authorities aim to quell the ongoing fentanyl crisis gripping the city, particularly in the area of 36th Avenue North and North Penn Avenue. The U.S. Attorney's Office has described Big Sip DTO as a source of considerable strife within the community, linking its activities to a variety of crimes, including shootings and drug abuse.
Named in the indictments are Larry McGee, 42, Danielle Robberstad, 35, Maurice Montgomery, 31, Dameon Collins, 24, Marcus Lucious, 53, Romell Vann, 22, Bobby Nolan, 43, and Jeremy Lucious, 35, with charges ranging from Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl to Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, "The Big Sip DTO’s operation contributed to crime in the area, including shootings, homicides, and drug use, from August 2023 through June 2025."
Acting on the insights gained from cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies, this collective effort signals a crackdown on the illegal drug networks flooding Minneapolis streets with deadly narcotics. Court documents outline the high-volume fentanyl sales operation of the Big Sip DTO and delineate the roles within, with McGee and Robberstad pinpointed as the leaders, managing the influx of fentanyl and its subsequent distribution through controlled apartment complexes. "The law abiding people of Minneapolis deserve better," Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson affirmed, heralding the collaborative initiative to disband the organization.
Special agencies such as the ATF and the FBI contributed to the investigation, with ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle asserting, "We will not allow armed criminal groups to threaten the safety and future of the Twin Cities." The operation's success hinges on multisectoral strategies that have focused on long-term solutions to addressing crime influx in specific hotspots like 36th and Penn—a sentiment echoed by both local law enforcement and the FBI. Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI in Minneapolis told the U.S. Attorney's Office, "These drugs and the criminals who traffic them, bring death, sorrow, and fear to our communities."
The culmination of this indictment serves as both a message and a measure to those ensnared in the vicious cycle of drug trafficking and violence. Seven of the defendants have made their initial appearances and are currently detained, with the rest slated to face their preliminary hearings. All defendants face potential life sentences if convicted, though it is important to note that an indictment is not a presumption of guilt but rather the beginning of the judicial process where the accused are entitled to a fair trial.
