Four years ago, a man being investigated for trafficking drugs and guns led police on a chase from Lower Price Hill into Newport, where he crashed into a restaurant’s sidewalk patio, killing a husband and wife.
The investigation into that crash led to the seizure of massive quantities of illegal drugs and charges against 16 people − including a man prosecutors say was the leader of the drug trafficking organization at the center of the case.
That man, 36-year-old Ryan Haskamp, pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Cincinnati to drug and gun conspiracy charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Haskamp is the last of the 16 people charged to plead guilty, officials said.
In total, authorities seized 11 guns and more than one kilo of methamphetamine, 200 pounds of the hallucinogenic drug DMT, five pounds of marijuana, 15 kilos of hashish and hashish oil, one kilo of MDMA or ecstasy, 19,000 doses of LSD, as well as other drugs including fentanyl and cocaine.
Haskamp faces 15 years to life in prison. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.