A Cincinnati man who led a fentanyl trafficking organization was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Quinell Hadden, 38, was responsible for obtaining and distributing hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine from January 2020 until his arrest in 2023, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Ohio.
He was sentenced on March 4 in federal court in Cincinnati by District Judge Douglas Cole.
Also known as “Nell,” “Q” and “Fat Boy,” Hadden pleaded guilty in October 2025 to participating in drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies, the release states.
Hadden’s organization obtained at least 100 kilograms of fentanyl directly from the Sinaloa Cartel, 45 kilograms of cocaine from members of the Cartel Jalisco New Generation, precursor shipments from China, fentanyl and methamphetamine in the mail from Arizona, and drugs from at least two other local drug trafficking organizations.
Hadden cut and processed each kilogram of fentanyl into three to four kilograms of product that was nearly as potent, the news release states. He used a variety of cutting agents to dilute the fentanyl, resulting in deadly and unpredictable narcotics,.
Forty other defendants in six current federal prosecutions were identified through the investigation into Hadden. In January 2026, Braylon Carr, one of Hadden’s “top lieutenants” according to the news release, was sentenced to 158 months in prison.
Also March 4, co-defendant Alantee Hulbert was sentenced to 144 months in prison. Several other defendants await sentencing.
“Unfortunately for some in our community the only path they can see to success doesn’t involve college and a 401K plan. Mr. Hadden took full responsibility for his actions and accepted his sentence with dignity,” said Paul Laufman, Hadden’s attorney.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati man who led fentanyl trafficking organization sentenced
Reporting by Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
