Inside the Indictments: Twin Ports anti-drug trafficking operation
John Deon Herring
(St. Louis County Jaiil)
DULUTH, Min. – The Duluth Police Department announced on January 7, 2026 they were, “executing a series of narcotics-related search warrants and arrests in connection with the trafficking of controlled substances in the Duluth/Superior area.”
We are now getting a first look into the charges via a “Statement of Probable Cause”.
It says the main target was John Deon Herring. The indictment say Herring, who is nicknamed “Ears” and “Slim”, is “responsible for distributing narcotics (mainly methamphetamine and fentanyl) throughout the Twin Ports area.” The Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force began investigating Herring and his alleged drug trafficking organization in January 2024.
Dezzion Marquiese Riles
(St, Louis County Jail)
The indictment say Herring’s drug trafficking organization (DTO), “does not operate within traditional hierarchal structure like other known DTOs. Instead of having a small circle with defined roles and a group of co-conspirators that branch out to distribute drugs on behalf of the DTO. Defendant Herring seems to have numerous people that he is in contract with in waves. His routine is that he is not routine.”
Herring’s official address is in North Minneapolis, but he made “consistent trips between Minneapolis and Duluth”. The indictment claims Herring made some smaller drug deals himself, but had a network of dealers.
The indictment said “several members of the DTO are identified gang members.” They are accused of being parts of four different gangs. The indictment says gangs use social media to recruitment and to “obtain social status” by posting photographs and videos on social media, “flashing large sums of money, firearms, and advertising narcotics for sale.”
The other leaders of the DTO according to the indictment are allegedly Dominique Dennis Randolph and Dezzion Marquise Riles.
Herring is from Harvey, Illinois which is a Chicago-suburb. The indictment say people involved in the drug dealing have ties to Harvey, Illinois and Chicago.
RELATED: 24 arrested in Twin Ports anti-drug trafficking operation
Below is a list of the people arrested and/or charged on January 6, 2025.
March 2025 Arrests:
In September of 2024 the U.S Drug Enforcement Agency tipped off the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force about drug activity near the Tri Towers apartments. Through their investigation they arrested Dezzion Riles, Dominique Randolph, Raysco Robinson, Lavail Randolph and Makenna Chamacho. Police say they found fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine and oxytocin pills. They also found two guns, $739 in cash, plus 25 credit cards. Shortly after those arrests, Randolph told his girlfriend that he had “dirty socks” in her apartment. Police believed that was code and got a warrant. They then discovered various controlled substances in shoeboxes, a digital scale that tested positive for fentanyl, plus two guns and ammunition. One person they made contact with during a search warrant execution tied to the arrests was Desmond Carter. Carter was murdered in Harvey, Illinois in August 2025.
Benjamin Nicholas:
The charging documents list a number of text conversation that Nicholas allegedly had with Herring and Randolph regarding drug deals and money owed. The text message retrieved via a warrant referenced being people being “still hungry” and “people starving” plus “barbeque” and “potatoes salad”. The indictment claims these were code words for making controlled substance sales.
Michael Kimbrough:
The Statement of Probable Cause alleges Kimbrough met with Herring at a Duluth bar. Kimbrough told Herring at the bar that he recently had given drugs to two people. Those two people were subsequently arrested in Ashland, Wisconsin. They were found to have methamphetamine, fentanyl and a gun when arrested. The indictment says Herring would “front” many of his customers drugs and expected to be paid back later. At one point Herring is quoted apparently being frustrated because people that he “fronts” were getting arrested.
Larry Garner:
The charging documents say Larry Garner’s residence on East 6th Street in Duluth was searched on June 6, 2025. They found methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, ammunition and three digital scales. It continues to say the Garner told detectives that he had recently returned to Duluth and contacted Herring to get crack cocaine for his personal use. Garner also allegedly told investigators he purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl from Herring, but denied dealing drugs for Herring.
John Sutton:
Sutton was mentioned in the documents for allegedly allowing Herring to store “approximately three pound of methamphetamine” at his home on East 11th Street in Duluth. The indictment also implied that Sutton was familiar with heroin being delivered to Duluth. Herring allegedly told Sutton the drugs were coming to Duluth via Greyhound.
Marcus Johnson:
Investigators intercepted phone calls between Herring and Johnson. Johnson lived in the same Minneapolis building that Herring lived in. On one phone call Herring was explaining to Johnson how to take Groome and Greyhound shuttles from Minneapolis to Duluth. On one of his phone calls to Johnson, Herring said he was trying to get certain drugs as white as possible – but the drugs were turning blue. On the evening November 18, 2025. Johnson traveled to Duluth via Groome shuttle. Investigators believed Johnson would have drugs on him. They arrested Johnson when he arrived in Duluth and say they found 644 grams of a substance that tested positive for fentanyl. The substance was also blue. Investigators says Herring showed-up at the Groome shuttle drop off location looking for Johnson. The indictment say Herring called Johnson multiple times, but Johnson was in custody.
Deon Holmes:
On November 8, 2025 investigators with Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force executed a search warrant at Holmes’ residence on East 1st Street on Duluth. They say they discovered a substance that tested positive for fentanyl, a substance believed to be a “cutting agent”, digital scales, jeweler baggies, plus $1,206 in cash. Investigators say they were tipped off to Holmes via tapped phone calls. In the conversation Herring allegedly said he was in Chicago, but Holmes could coordinate and exchange things on Herring’s behalf while he was out of town.
Cordero Crosby:
Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force investigators say they intercepted a phone call from Crosby where he was telling Herring he wanted to replenish his supply of “white ones”. That is slang for fentanyl. In another intercepted phone call Crosby said he needed to give Herring $3,000. The documents also say a concern citizen took several pictures and video of Crosby taking part in what was called “short term drug activity” in the Cody neighborhood.
Derrick Tyler:
The indictment noted intercepted phone calls to Herring from people asking to buy drugs. Herring directed them to Tyler to obtain the drugs. There were other intercepted phone calls discussing Tyler owning Herring money. There was also a phone call were Tyler told Herring he wanted to get “the other pair of them shoes”. Investigators believe that was code for getting more drugs to sell.
Metris Bell:
Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force investigators say they found text messages between Herring and Bell that they believe was setting up drug deals. They also say City of Duluth owned surveillance cameras caught an apparent drug deal between Bell and another person. Investigators approached the person that they believed purchased drugs from Bell and discovered nearly a gram of fentanyl on them.
Sophia Walker:
The charging documents say Herring had an “on-and-off romantic relationship” with Walker. It also says they shared a child in common. The investigators say Walker, “is part of the DTO through logistics management by renting vehicles for Defendant Herring and obtaining phone numbers for Defendant Herring.” They write in the indictment, cellphones play a “crucial role” in drug deals and the phones are often purchased with fabricated names to avoid law enforcement. They also explain DTOs often use rental vehicles to avoid detection from law enforcement – switching vehicles frequently. These vehicles are used to deliver drugs. The inducement mentions six vehicles that Walker rented and Herring used.
Payton Michaud:
The indictment say Herring used Michaud’s home in the Harbor Highlands neighborhood as “one of his bases of operations for his narcotics dealing when he is in Duluth.” The incident says Michaud and Herring “are also in a romantic entanglement”. Herring allegedly used Michaud’s vehicle when he was in Duluth. On tapped phone calls Michaud and Herring argued multiple times about four pound of methamphetamine that she was allegedly keeping at her home. The inducement said Michaud eventually agreed to give Herring three pounds of the methamphetamine, but was keeping one pound. Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force phone intercepts allegedly had Michaud demanding that pound because she had given Herring $1,000 on a trip to Chicago they took together.
Mary Thomas:
The incident says Thomas and Herring had a “multitude” of phone calls talking about drug dealing. In one of the conversations they even stated that they believed they had spotted Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force vehicles in Duluth and the Twin Cities. Some of the conversations that were made public in the indictment talked about Thomas moving some money and drugs, plus Thomas starting her own circle for drug dealing.
