Jury finds Columbus man guilty of leading narcotics, sex trafficking & financial fraud conspiracies

Press Release

Defendant convicted of coercing addicts into prostitution, leading drug trafficking organization, overseeing pandemic relief fraud scheme, tampering with witnesses

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A jury found a Columbus man guilty on all counts for leading drug, sex trafficking and financial fraud conspiracies and then attempting to obstruct justice and tamper with witnesses.

The United States proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ricco Lamonte Maye, 42, used threats, violence and manipulation of drug dependencies to ensure individuals carried out his criminal schemes.

Maye was found guilty on all 14 counts as charged. The verdict was announced on Nov. 21 following a trial that began on Oct. 31 before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison.

"The jury correctly found today that Ricco Maye is a dangerous man who used violence and threats of drug withdrawal to coerce victims into engaging in illegal activity for his own profit," said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. "As the government proved at trial, Maye oversaw a variety of criminal endeavors, victimizing vulnerable populations, causing the death of one addicted person, and obstructing justice in an ill-fated attempt to avoid accountability. After today's conviction, he will no longer be able to manipulate and control victims to enrich himself."

Court documents and trial testimony detail that Maye used individuals to buy and sell drugs, sell women for sex, and fraudulently apply online for COVID-19 relief funds. Proceeds from all the crimes went to the defendant.

Beginning in at least 2018, Maye's drug trafficking organization primarily distributed narcotics to addicts in street-level quantities. He regularly purchased narcotics from supply sources both inside and outside of Ohio and used addicts to help sell the drugs in Columbus. In addition to cash, Maye would accept stolen goods, gift cards, Social Security numbers and other items as payment for the drugs.

Maye initially gave drugs to women for free and later manipulated their addiction by requiring them to earn drug money through prostitution. Maye provided the means for the women to engage in prostitution - frequently obtaining hotel rooms, having the women driven to the hotels, providing cell phones, and directing Internet prostitution ads. Maye collected the prostitution proceeds, enforced specific rules on the women and punished the women through physical violence.

Maye was also found guilty of providing fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death. In November 2018, Maye communicated with the victim in the hours before his death. The victim had been obtaining cocaine from Maye off and on for years and sought to obtain cocaine from him again in this instance but received a fatal dose of fentanyl instead.

Trial testimony detailed that Maye used violence against victims as part of overseeing his drug trafficking organization, including "stomping victims out," smacking them, punching them, breaking their bones and knocking out their teeth.

In a financial conspiracy, Maye and other defendants filed for and received more than $30,000 in fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Maye kept all or a portion of the others' benefits.

Maye was originally charged by indictment in November 2020 and has remained in federal custody since. After his initial arrest, Maye attempted to obstruct the ongoing investigation into his sex trafficking and other criminal activities and conspired to tamper with witnesses. Maye's obstruction of justice included his directing the threatened murder of a potential government witness.

Due to Maye's prior federal drug trafficking conviction, he faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison for distributing a controlled substance that resulted in death and the drug conspiracy charged in his case is punishable by a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. The sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion conspiracy is punishable by at least 15 years and up to life in prison. Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Conspiring to tamper with a witness carries a potential penalty of up to 30 years in prison. Obstructing a sex trafficking investigation is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other officials with the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed under Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission, announced the guilty verdicts. Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case.

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Updated November 26, 2024