A South Bend man has been sentenced in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Rashee Herron, 27, was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, this case stems from a local investigation into heroin and fentanyl distribution.

It was back in July 2018 when an undercover investigator ordered drugs by calling a phone number that they believed was associated with a drug dealer called “Ace”.

Herron, later identified as “Ace”, arrived at the meeting place and met with the officer.

Herron was holding baggies apparently containing drugs but ended the meeting when the officer refused Herron’s demand to use some of the drugs in front of him. Later the same day, investigators arranged another controlled purchase of drugs. This time, Herron’s co-defendant arrived and sold approximately 1 gram of fentanyl in exchange for $140. The co-defendant was driving the same car Herron used a short time earlier.

A few days later, investigators searched a house in South Bend pursuant to a warrant.

Investigators found almost 100 grams of fentanyl, 2 loaded handguns, scales, marijuana, a money counter and more than $30,000 cash in the bedroom shared by Herron and his co-defendant