Jamaican National Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Traffic “Party Drugs”

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – A Jamaican man residing in Cleveland has been sentenced to 100 months (8.3 years) in prison for his role in trafficking more than 150 pounds of a popular party drug.

Tonie Neno Mitchell, 34, previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Benita Y. Pearson imposed the sentence on May 29.

According to court documents, in July 2024, investigators with the DEA executed a federal search warrant at Mitchell’s residence in Cleveland. The search warrant was based on a DEA money laundering investigation into Mitchell, and others, and had already resulted in the seizure of more than $350,000 in suspected drug cash.

Mitchell attempted to flee when investigators made entry to his house, but he was apprehended.  In Mitchell’s living room closet, investigators found approximately 70 vacuum-sealed bags containing colored rock crystal substances that were later determined to be 70 kilograms of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). According to DEA.gov, MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is a “party drug” popular among adolescents and young adults because it is known to reduce inhibition. In Mitchell’s bedroom, investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun, ammunition, a ledger notebook listing drug prices and money owed for drugs, more than $50,000 in cash, and eight cellphones. Investigators determined that Mitchell was a Jamaican national present in the United States illegally, and that he had entered the country in approximately August 2023.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case was investigated by the DEA Cleveland District Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.