Cleveland, Ohio – A Cleveland man has been sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison following his conviction on multiple drug and firearm charges. Richard Woodard, also known as RJ, 46, was sentenced on August 13, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker to 202 months—just under 17 years—in federal prison. The sentencing comes after a federal jury found him guilty in April on several charges stemming from a drug trafficking investigation connected to a fatal overdose.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Woodard was convicted on six serious charges: two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Woodard’s prior felony conviction for aggravated robbery in 1997 barred him from legally possessing firearms.
In addition to the prison term, Woodard will serve five years of supervised release. Judge Barker also ordered the forfeiture of $13,776 in cash and all firearms seized during the investigation…