CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Detroit man pleaded guilty Monday, June 30, 2025, to three counts of fentanyl distribution in West Virginia, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Rafael Cee-Erwin Solomon, 43, also known as “Rip,” admitted in court to selling fentanyl in Dunbar on March 10, 2025, and in St. Albans on March 24 and March 27, 2025.
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Solomon has a prior conviction for conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, stemming from a 2012 federal case in the same district.
He also has prior convictions for assault and battery-domestic violence, malicious destruction of property, arson, and felonious assault.
His guilty plea comes as part of a larger investigation that led to the indictment of 13 others accused of distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
Authorities noted that an indictment is only an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Solomon is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025. He faces up to 30 years in prison, at least six years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the plea and commended the investigative work of the FBI. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted under the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, which targets major drug trafficking and money laundering operations.
It is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels, stopping illegal immigration, and combating violent crime.
