Cincinnati, Ohio – A Cincinnati man has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking operation centered around a Vine Street residence. Terrell Kirkland, 40, was handed a 99-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy charge.
According to court documents, Kirkland conspired to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. Investigators say he played a significant role in the operation by brokering drug deals between dealers and buyers. Kirkland would typically meet customers elsewhere before escorting them to the house on Vine Street, where the drug transactions were completed. For his part in these deals, Kirkland received a cut of the profits for brokering the transactions.
The operation came under closer scrutiny in April 2024, when law enforcement officers conducted two controlled purchases of cocaine at the residence. These purchases provided the necessary evidence to bring charges.
In May 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Kirkland and his co-defendant, Ricky Cannon, 37, also of Cincinnati. Kirkland entered a guilty plea in January, while Cannon has also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. McFarland, with Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Columbus Field Division, announcing the outcome.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
