United States of America v. Darnell Kief Beckham Bell

Cleveland, Ohio criminal defense lawyer Rodger Pelagalli represented the Defendant charged with possess with intent to distribute drugs.

Sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons for a term of 190 months as to Counts 9 and 10 concurrent with credit for time served. Supervised release for a term of 5 years as to Counts 9 and 10 concurrent with conditions. Fine waived. Special assessment of $200.00.

Law enforcement began to probe suspected narcotics trafficking—specifically fentanyl— in Northeast Ohio in 2024. On a number of occasions during the investigation, several individuals were observed coming and going from a house on West 137th Street. During a federal search warrant executed at the residence, Darnell Kief Beckham Bell, age 34, of Cleveland, was taken into custody after agents found evidence of suspected drug activities in the basement of the home, which belonged to his grandmother. Among the items seized were:

Two digital scales with fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine residue
A loaded HK .45 caliber pistol with magazine and ammunition (firearm was later found to be stolen)
A Smith & Wesson .40 caliber magazine with ammunition
16 bags of narcotics that contained a total of 403.25 grams of cocaine base, “crack”
Two plastic bags that contained 139.31 grams of fentanyl
124.29 grams of a mixture of Xylazine, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl
81.76 grams of fentanyl
2.14 grams of cocaine
Two credit cards with white powder residue

During the trial, evidence presented to the jury included a comment Bell made in jail in which he stated that “no one knew about Nana’s basement.”

Two co-conspirators also charged in the superseding indictment—Loundon Hardy, 30, and Kobe Bell- Beckham, 27, both of Cleveland—previously pleaded guilty to related drug conspiracy, distribution and possession charges and are currently awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police.

The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Marc D. Bullard and Scott Zarzycki for the Northern District of Ohio.