GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Michigan, Western), published as received.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ramico Jovon Earvin, a/k/a “Pooh,” 44, of Wyoming, Michigan was sentenced to 135 months in prison for trafficking in fentanyl and carfentanil. Earvin’s sentence was enhanced in part because, in addition to dealing drugs, he also illegally possessed firearms.
Earvin’s drug trafficking came to light as police investigated a shooting. On March 4, 2025, a neighbor reported that, after an argument, Earvin shot him in the leg outside their apartment building.
During a subsequent search of the apartment where Earvin stayed, investigators found evidence of drug trafficking. On the bed in a bedroom where Earvin’s children sometimes slept, officers located a loaded .45 caliber revolver inside a soft-sided cooler. In shoeboxes kept under the bed, Earvin had stored more than a kilogram of fentanyl, nearly a kilogram of carfentanil, and Earvin’s credit card. In the same room, Earvin had a safe, baggies commonly used for drug packaging, digital scales and scale attachments, and a box of .45 caliber ammunition. The following photographs depict some of the illegal items Earvin had hidden in the room:
Carfentanil is an analogue of fentanyl. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, carfentanil is approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl alone. It can be used legally to tranquilize large mammals, including elephants.
“Earvin was a menace to his neighbors and needed to be removed from the community. First, he was a large-scale drug trafficker who sold drugs capable of killing thousands of people,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey, “even worse, like most drug dealers he had guns, and he used one to shoot someone who disagreed with him. No one should have to endure behavior like this. Thanks to the fine work of the Wyoming Police Department and the DEA, we were able to charge Earvin and today he got the punishment he deserved. Others like Earvin will get the same treatment.”
“This violent offender made the conscious decision to use violence and distribute fentanyl along with carfentanil in our communities, recklessly endangering the lives of Michiganders.” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for those actions. DEA will not rest. We will deploy every available resource to hunt down those who traffic these deadly drugs, dismantle the networks behind them, and protect American lives.”
“Wyoming Police are committed to keeping our community safe. An investigation into a shooting led to the seizure of a substantial quantity of dangerous narcotics; drugs that could have harmed thousands of people in Wyoming and surrounding communities.” said Lieutenant Andrew Koeller. “This seizure reflects the dedication of our investigators and the strength of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships. We are grateful for the collaborative effort that helped bring Ramico Earvin to justice.”
The Wyoming Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Carowan prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
