Marking a significant stride against drug-related crime in the nation's capital, Darryl Dacota Riley, Jr, known on the streets as "Slice," has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in a sprawling drug trafficking conspiracy, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The 39-year-old, a previously convicted felon residing in D.C., has admitted to conspiracy charges linked to distributing significant quantities of narcotics, including PCP, cocaine, and fentanyl, as detailed in the court documents.
Riley found himself entangled in a conspiracy which operated primarily on the 2900 block of Knox Place in Southeast D.C., an area blighted by violence and death, including at least five homicides over the past year. In the twist of a court saga, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly scheduled Riley's sentencing for May 14, 2026, following his guilty plea to dealing more than a kilogram of PCP, 500 grams or more of cocaine, and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. Riley's unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, given his status as a felon, further compounded his legal woes.
Riley's downfall was part of a larger investigation by FBI agents that began in the summer of 2024, an effort that ultimately led to the arrests of 14 individuals and the execution of 20 residential search warrants across multiple jurisdictions in August 2025. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jeanine Ferris Pirro expressed the gravity of Riley's actions by stating, "Jackson went so far as to target drug addicts seeking rehabilitation by selling drugs outside of rehabilitation and treatment facilities in Southeast Washington D.C., but now he won’t be bringing down this community anymore."
Investigators uncovered a network extending beyond the national borders of the District, with ties to both Maryland and as far as Los Angeles. In August 2025, upon searching Riley's residence, law enforcement officials seized approximately 900 grams of cocaine, 11 grams of crack cocaine, and significant amounts of other illicit substances, as well as over $20,000 in cash, and multiple firearms including a loaded and chambered Glock 21 45mm pistol; and a privately manufactured AR-style .223 caliber firearm without a serial number.
Cooperation between the FBI Washington Field Office and local law enforcement agencies, such as the DEA and the MPD, was instrumental in bringing Riley and his associates to justice. The prosecution is being managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Sarah Akhtar, and John Crabb of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox also joined U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement of Riley's guilty plea, marking a promising shift in the fight against narcotics in D.C. neighborhoods.
