Michigan Federal Criminal Defense: Defending Detroit Drug and Gang Cases

Michigan Federal Criminal Defense: Defending Detroit Drug and Gang Cases

So your probably ABSOLUTELY PANICKING right now because federal agents just arrested you in Detroit as one of seven men charged for drug distribution, illegal possession of weapons, and money laundering with mandatory prison sentence of at least 10 YEARS if convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, or maybe your facing 60 YEARS in federal prison because prosecutors proved you led large-scale drug trafficking operation in Saginaw-Bay region, or worse – maybe your one of multiple defendants charged with RICO conspiracy as member of violent Detroit street gang like Purple Heart Vets, Smokecamp/OPB, or YNS facing racketeering charges carrying 20 years per count. Maybe they arrested you as part of Operation Cold as Ice where organization distributed kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine in Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo between August 2022 and July 2024. Maybe there charging you with possessing 18 POUNDS of methamphetamine and 70 grams of cocaine like Thomas Charles Davis from Kalamazoo who got sentenced to 17.5 years. Or maybe your facing 27 YEARS like Jason Demyers who led drug trafficking conspiracy as kingpin. Look, we get it. Your COMPLETELY TERRIFIED. And honestly? You should be! Because Detroit man got sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for large-scale drug trafficking operation, and federal prosecutors in Eastern District of Michigan are crushing defendants with multi-decade sentences for kilogram-level trafficking!

Why Does Michigan Have Two Federal Districts?

Let me explain how Michigan’s federal court system works because understanding which district your case is in REALLY matters for your sentencing exposure. Michigan is divided into two separate federal judicial districts – the Eastern District headquartered in Detroit covering Detroit metropolitan area, Flint, Bay City, and eastern Michigan, and the Western District based in Grand Rapids covering Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and western Michigan. The split roughly follows geographic line where urban Eastern Michigan around Detroit has different drug trafficking patterns compared to Western Michigan’s mid-sized cities like Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.

The Eastern District of Michigan based in Detroit is one of the most aggressive federal districts in America for gang RICO prosecutions because Detroit has serious gang problems with organizations like Purple Heart Vets gang, Smokecamp/Original Paid Bosses (OPB) on Detroit’s eastside, YNS gang, and numerous other gangs controlling drug markets and engaging in violence throughout the city. In March 2025, seven Detroit men got charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl plus illegal possession of weapons and money laundering, and if convicted each faces mandatory prison sentence of at least 10 years showing how multi-defendant drug conspiracies create crushing mandatory minimums.

Detroit man got sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for his role in large-scale drug trafficking operation in Saginaw-Bay region showing how leadership roles and massive drug quantities create life-destroying sentences. Maurice Montain McCoy Jr. got sentenced to 22 YEARS in federal prison for leading drug organization that trafficked fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine across the country, and DEA seized more than 30 KILOGRAMS of fentanyl and over half a million dollars in cash demonstrating the scale of Detroit trafficking operations.

The Western District based in Grand Rapids prosecutes major trafficking conspiracies throughout western Michigan. Thomas Charles Davis from Kalamazoo County got sentenced to 210 months which is 17.5 YEARS for possessing approximately 18 pounds of methamphetamine and 70 grams of cocaine showing how multi-pound seizures trigger mandatory minimums and high base offense levels. Jason Demyers got sentenced to 27 years after prosecutors proved he led drug trafficking conspiracy whose organization distributed kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine in Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo between August 2022 and July 2024 as part of Operation Cold as Ice.

What Makes Detroit Gang RICO Cases So Devastating?

Detroit federal prosecutors use RICO statutes – Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act – to charge entire gang organizations with racketeering conspiracy encompassing all criminal activities committed by gang members over years. Violent Detroit street gang got indicted on RICO charges, and five members of violent Detroit street gang got charged with racketeering, narcotics, and firearms offenses showing how prosecutors target entire gangs not just individual members. RICO conspiracy carries maximum of 20 YEARS per count, but if underlying racketeering activities include murder, you can get life imprisonment.

Member of Smokecamp/OPB gang from Detroit’s eastside got sentenced to 210 MONTHS which is 17.5 YEARS in federal prison after pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy and assault with dangerous weapon showing the typical combination of RICO and violence charges. YNS gang members got indicted for variety of crimes including murder, robberies that turned into murders, shootings, home invasion, arson, and narcotics distribution demonstrating how prosecutors use RICO to charge gangs with every crime committed by any member over years. Purple Heart Vets gang members got indicted on racketeering conspiracy, trafficking controlled substances, firearm charges, and unemployment insurance fraud showing how prosecutors pile on every possible federal charge.

Under RICO conspiracy law, your responsible for all reasonably foreseeable acts committed by any gang member in furtherance of gang’s goals, so even if you personally didn’t commit murders or shootings, if other gang members did those acts during time you were affiliated with gang and acts were foreseeable consequences of gang’s activities, you can be convicted of RICO conspiracy including those violent acts. This makes defending gang RICO cases incredibly difficult because prosecutors present evidence of gang’s entire violent history and every defendant gets held responsible for murders and violence committed by other members.

How Do Multi-Pound Methamphetamine Cases Get Sentenced?

Michigan federal cases frequently involve multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine that trigger 10-20 year mandatory minimum sentences. Thomas Charles Davis possessed approximately 18 POUNDS of methamphetamine which is over 8 kilograms way exceeding the 5-kilogram threshold for 20-year mandatory minimum for pure meth or high-purity mixture. Even at lower purities, 18 pounds contains multiple kilograms of actual methamphetamine putting defendant at base offense level in high 30s which corresponds to guideline ranges of 15-20+ years even with no criminal history.

Operation Cold as Ice targeted drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine in Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo between August 2022 and July 2024, and final defendant got sentenced showing how multi-year investigations eventually capture entire organizations. Keith Haskins got 18 YEARS and Kennie Smith received 125 months for armed drug conspiracy that amassed nearly 200 POUNDS of methamphetamine and other controlled substances showing absolutely massive quantities moving through Michigan. 200 pounds is approximately 90 kilograms which way exceeds any federal thresholds creating guideline calculations calling for life sentences for leaders and decades for even minor participants.

For sentencing purposes, methamphetamine mandatory minimums are 5 grams for 5 years, 50 grams for 10 years, 500 grams for 20 years, and when conspiracies involve hundreds of pounds every member responsible for reasonably foreseeable quantities faces crushing mandatory exposure. Federal prosecutors in both Eastern and Western Districts coordinate with DEA, FBI, and Michigan State Police to build cases over months or years using wiretaps, controlled buys, surveillance, and cooperating witnesses before executing coordinated takedowns arresting entire organizations simultaneously.

What About Fentanyl Trafficking With Money Laundering?

Michigan federal cases increasingly focus on fentanyl trafficking because Michigan like rest of America is experiencing overdose crisis with fentanyl-related deaths skyrocketing. Maurice Montain McCoy Jr. got sentenced to 22 years for leading drug organization that trafficked fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine across country, and DEA seized more than 30 KILOGRAMS of fentanyl showing kilogram-level trafficking operations. Thirty kilograms of fentanyl way exceeds the 4-kilogram threshold for 20-year mandatory minimum, meaning every member of McCoy’s organization faces mandatory 20 years before any guideline calculations or enhancements.

Khari Smith from Detroit got sentenced to 200 months which is almost 17 YEARS for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine showing how combining fentanyl with meth creates multiple charges and higher offense levels. When federal prosecutors can prove someone died from fentanyl you distributed, that’s death-resulting enhancement under 21 USC 841(b)(1)(C) charging mandatory 20 YEARS TO LIFE, and Michigan prosecutors are filing these enhancements whenever overdose deaths can be traced to specific dealers.

Seven Detroit men got charged not only with drug distribution and firearms but also money laundering showing how large-scale trafficking operations generate hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars requiring laundering. McCoy’s organization had over half a million dollars in cash seized demonstrating the proceeds being generated, and money laundering under 18 USC 1956 carries up to 20 years on top of drug charges. When prosecutors prove you laundered over $100,000 in drug proceeds, that adds 2 levels to offense calculation, and over $1 million adds 6 levels which translates to roughly 5-8 additional years.

How Do Firearms Charges Stack in Michigan Cases?

Michigan federal drug cases almost always include extensive firearms charges because drug trafficking organizations and gangs possess guns for protection and violence. Under 18 USC 924(c), possessing firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carries mandatory 5 years for simple possession, 7 years for brandishing, or 10 years for discharging, and these sentences run CONSECUTIVE to drug sentences meaning they stack on top creating crushing exposure. If weapon is brandished in committing crime, mandatory minimum increases to 7 years, and discharging weapon results in 10-year mandatory, and importantly these sentences are stacked on top of any sentence for underlying crime.

If person is repeat offender who has prior conviction under 924(c), he or she faces mandatory minimum of 25 YEARS showing how second firearms conviction creates quarter-century mandatory. Seven Detroit men got charged with illegal possession of weapons along with drug distribution, and gang RICO cases routinely include multiple firearms charges because gang members possess guns for shootings, robberies, and protecting drug operations. Keith Haskins and Kennie Smith got sentenced for armed drug conspiracy where “armed” designation means firearms were integral to operations creating mandatory consecutive sentences stacking on drug sentences.

What makes Michigan firearms prosecutions particularly harsh is that prosecutors argue guns are inherent to drug trafficking in violent Detroit environment, so mere possession of gun in same location as drugs creates presumption gun was “in furtherance of” trafficking. Federal agents executing search warrants on stash houses routinely find handguns, assault rifles, and sometimes machineguns along with drugs, and prosecutors charge 924(c) automatically creating mandatory 5-10+ years consecutive.

What Defenses Work in Michigan Federal Cases?

Even though Michigan federal prosecutions are aggressive and result in harsh sentences, there are defenses that can work if you have experienced federal criminal defense counsel. Challenging your membership in or association with gang is critical in RICO cases because prosecutors have to prove you were actually part of racketeering enterprise not just someone who lived in gang neighborhood or associated with gang members socially. We’ve successfully argued our client grew up in Detroit and knew gang members from childhood but wasn’t part of criminal enterprise and didn’t participate in drug trafficking or violence, resulting in dismissal of RICO charges.

Withdrawal from gang or conspiracy is powerful defense if you can prove you affirmatively communicated withdrawal to gang members or took actions clearly inconsistent with gang membership like moving away or publicly denouncing gang. If you withdrew before murders or major drug trafficking occurred, your only responsible for crimes committed while you were actively participating. Challenging drug quantity attributions in multi-defendant conspiracies is huge because just because conspiracy distributed 200 pounds doesn’t automatically mean YOUR responsible for 200 pounds if you were low-level street dealer.

We’ve successfully argued our client was minor participant with limited knowledge of organizational scope, reducing attributable quantity from amounts triggering 20-year mandatories down to amounts qualifying for 10-year mandatory or safety valve below mandatories. Challenging firearms “in furtherance of” drug trafficking requires showing guns served purposes unrelated to trafficking – if firearms were kept at home for protection in dangerous Detroit neighborhood and were not present during drug transactions or stored with drugs, that undermines “in furtherance” element.

Cooperation and substantial assistance agreements are absolutely critical in Michigan multi-defendant cases because when 7-20+ defendants are charged together, prosecutors need cooperators to testify about organizational structure, leadership roles, drug sources, and firearms suppliers. Federal prosecutors in both Eastern and Western Districts highly value information about out-of-state drug connections, money laundering methods, gang violence including unsolved murders, and sources of firearms. We’ve negotiated 5K1.1 substantial assistance departures where defendants facing 20-30 year guidelines ended up with 10-15 years because they cooperated extensively including trial testimony.

Why Michigan Federal Cases Require Specialized Defense?

Look, defending federal cases in Michigan requires understanding of how prosecutors in both Eastern and Western Districts build gang RICO cases and multi-defendant drug conspiracies, plus knowledge of Detroit gang territorial dynamics and specific practices of judges in Detroit and Grand Rapids federal courts. Most Michigan criminal defense lawyers handle state court drug and gang cases where penalties max out at 10-20 years, but federal RICO carries 20 years per count, federal mandatory minimums for kilogram quantities call for 20 years to life, and 924(c) firearms charges stack 5-25 years consecutive on top of drug sentences.

When your facing 60-year sentence for leading trafficking operation, or 27 years for conspiracy kingpin role, or RICO charges threatening decades for gang membership, you need lawyer who understands federal conspiracy law making you responsible for all reasonably foreseeable acts of co-conspirators. We’ve defended gang RICO cases in Detroit including Purple Heart Vets, Smokecamp/OPB, and other gang prosecutions. We understand how Eastern District prosecutors prove gang membership through social media, wiretaps, and cooperating witnesses. We know which Michigan federal judges are receptive to minor participant reductions versus judges who hold all conspiracy members equally responsible.

We’ve defended Western District cases in Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Grand Rapids involving multi-pound methamphetamine conspiracies and Operation Cold as Ice prosecutions. We’ve successfully negotiated cooperation agreements that reduced life exposure to 10-15 years for defendants who cooperated before indictment. We’ve challenged drug quantity calculations, contested leadership role enhancements, litigated Fourth Amendment issues involving warrantless surveillance, and won departures for defendants with extraordinary circumstances.

Call us RIGHT NOW at 212-300-5196
RICO charges – 18 pounds meth – 30 kg fentanyl – 60 year sentences – Gang prosecutions
Former federal prosecutors – Both Michigan districts – Available 24/7

Don’t talk to FBI, DEA, ATF, Detroit Police, or Michigan gang task force agents without experienced Michigan federal criminal defense counsel! If your one of 7-20 defendants charged together, if RICO conspiracy threatens 20 years per count, if 18-pound meth seizure triggers 20-year mandatory, if 30 kilograms fentanyl creates life exposure, if 924(c) firearms charges stack 5-25 years consecutive, if gang membership evidence includes murders and shootings – call us IMMEDIATELY before making statements! Every word you say gets used to prove gang membership, attribute massive drug quantities to you under conspiracy law, establish firearms were in furtherance, and connect you to gang violence. With 60-year sentences for trafficking leaders, 27 years for conspiracy kingpins, and 17+ years for RICO gang members, you need lawyers who’ve defended hundreds of Michigan federal cases in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Kalamazoo! Call us NOW!