A Baltimore man who was paroled just months ago after serving time in a fentanyl and firearms trafficking case is now the target of a U.S. Marshals Service manhunt, after authorities say he violated the terms of his release and vanished. Rymek Milligan, 38, of Baltimore City, is wanted on a supervised-release violation, and investigators say his current location is unknown.
The Maryland Parole Commission issued an arrest warrant for Milligan in August 2026, according to WBFF. Milligan had been paroled in February 2026, but investigators said he violated the terms of his supervision not long afterward, prompting the commission to seek his arrest.
A Guilty Plea Rooted in a Multi-County Drug Case
Milligan's legal troubles trace back to a sprawling drug enterprise case that stretched across Howard County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City. In June 2023, he pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court to charges that included participation in a criminal organization, possessing a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime, and possessing a large amount of fentanyl, per the station's report. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison, suspending all but five years, and ordered two years of probation once he completed his sentence.
The case against Milligan stemmed from a six-person, 13-count indictment announced in August 2022, covering drug distribution throughout Howard County, Baltimore County and Baltimore City. That indictment described Milligan as a mid-level redistributor, and the same account notes that some buyers or users of the drugs suffered overdoses. A separate investigation that began with a Howard County Police Department inquiry into a nonfatal opioid overdose, detailed by the Baltimore Sun, was linked to as many as six additional overdoses in Maryland and Virginia, including at least one fatal overdose.
Fentanyl and a Stolen Handgun Found During a Traffic Stop
Part of the evidence against Milligan came from a May 2022 traffic stop, when Maryland State Police troopers recovered more than three ounces of fentanyl and a handgun that had been reported stolen in West Virginia, investigators reported. Milligan was arrested on an outstanding warrant while investigators continued building their case, and he was officially served in March 2023.
The broader investigation yielded a substantial haul of drugs and weapons, though the exact totals differ between outlets. The Baltimore Sun reported that detectives seized more than one kilogram of fentanyl and six handguns, while CBS Baltimore reported the seizure topped two kilograms of fentanyl alongside the same six handguns. The Capital Gazette reported that the case ultimately resulted in six guilty pleas, tied to hundreds of hand-to-hand drug transactions and fentanyl distribution across Maryland.
A Decades-Long Pattern of Arrests
Court records show Milligan has faced drug- and gun-related arrests for the past 20 years, including probation violations, according to WBFF. Online court records also show a significant 2016 arrest for felony drug trafficking in Baltimore City. Reports differ on Milligan's exact age over the years: WBFF's recent coverage lists him as 38, while the Baltimore Sun identified him as 35 at the time of his 2023 guilty plea and CBS Baltimore reported him as 34 during 2022 indictment coverage.
Marshals Warn of Public Safety Risk
Al Maresca, a senior inspector with the U.S. Marshals Service, said authorities need to locate and apprehend Milligan given his history of drug and gun arrests and probation violations. Maresca said fugitives like Milligan raise concern that they will continue to break the law and create a public-safety concern.
Anyone with information about Milligan's location is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 202-819-5058.
