The FBI has charged 15 people in Lorain County's widespread fentanyl trafficking

LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio (WOIO) – Federal authorities have announced charges against 15 people in connection with a fentanyl trafficking ring out of Lorain County.

The months-long investigation found that more than a dozen people were involved in a widespread conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to a press release, the following individuals are charged in the investigation:

Ronald Whittaker, 31, Cleveland, Ohio
Tyvez McCullum, 30, Elyria, Ohio
Ivan Barrios, 45, Lorain, Ohio
Tavon Martin, 28, Lorain, Ohio
Jaivon Wint, 27, Lorain, Ohio
Katlynn Caudill, 22, Lorain, Ohio
Nicholas Thomson, 47, Elyria, Ohio
Max Kennedy, 19, Wellington, Ohio
Jordan Johnson, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Angela Shuck, 35, Lorain, Ohio
Stacey Thomson, 48, Elyria, Ohio
Tyrone Phillips, 25, Elyria, Ohio
Joseph Kushner, 32, Berea, Ohio
Nicholas Burkholder, 29, Elyria, Ohio
Aubrey Brown, 29, Elyria, Ohio

The two people accused of leading the conspiracy are McCullum and Whittaker, officials said in the news release.

Here’s how authorities claim it all worked: Whittaker would send pill supplies to McCullum. McCullum would redistribute the fentanyl pills to the others. Those people would then further distribute the fentanyl pills throughout the Elyria and Lorain areas.

According to the press release, the human trafficking operation was active from May 2023 to October 2024.

During that time, officials said the defendants distributed at least 4,406.25 grams of fentanyl and/or 42,793 blue fentanyl pills.

Federal authorities said agents found thousands of fentanyl pills made to look like legitimate prescription drugs during their arrests — plus guns and cash.