CINCINNATI — A 49-year-old father and his 30-year-old son are both going to prison after federal officials say they ran a drug ring out of a luxury Pendleton apartment that "is a major source of illegal narcotics in Cincinnati," according to federal court documents.
Stephen Wheeler was sentenced to 15 years in prison on June 20. Romello Wheeler, Stephen's son, was sentenced to 12 years, six months in prison on April 17.
According to federal court documents, the DEA has been investigating the Wheelers and other alleged co-conspirators since 2022. DEA agents identified Stephen as the head of the drug rung, while Romello was the primary distributor, documents say.
The Wheelers used two homes in Cincinnati to operate the drug ring, according to federal officals. One, a $4,200 per month apartment in Pendleton at the Industry Apartments on Sycamore Street operated as the Wheelers' primary residence and was used to store narcotics, drug sale proceeds and to conduct drug transactions, court records say.
A second home, on Burnet Avenue in Mount Auburn near the Corryville line was referred to in court documents as the "Wheeler Stash House." That apartment, also referred to as "high-end" in federal court documents, was also used to store drugs and sale proceeds, as well as conduct transactions.
According to court documents, the Wheelers were seen stopping at the Burnett apartment and the Pendleton apartment with book bags.
The two were also "known to change their appearance and clothing during these short stops and regularly conduct counter surveillance measures, such as driving evasively, systematically driving in indirect routes with frequent stops to watch traffic and identify law enforcement."
Federal officials say an eight-month-long investigation showed the Wheelers drove nine different high-end vehicles, traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally and bought front-row tickets to the halftime show for the Super Bowl in Los Angeles.
When law enforcement searched both residences used by the Wheelers, they found roughly 1,317 grams of fentanyl, 1,678 grams of pure crystal methamphetamine, 962 grams of cocaine, $190,000 in bulk cash and more than $395,000 in assorted jewelry, according to federal officials.
Law enforcement also found "a loaded, armor-piercing pistol," according to a press release from Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris.
Investigators also found narcotics in vehicles belonging to the Wheelers, court documents say.
Both men pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
A third person, Mikelle Hill, was also convicted and sentenced to spend four months in prison for her role in the drug trafficking organization, which federal officials said included a truck and storage unit registered in her name. Court documents say Hill was Romello's suspected girlfriend.
