Baltimore Man Sentenced to Over 26 Years for Drug Trafficking, Firearms Offenses, and COVID-19 Relief Fraud

A Baltimore man has been sentenced to more than 26 years in federal prison after being convicted of drug and firearms charges and later pleading guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Ryan E. Dales, 36, received the sentence from Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, and will also serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment. The charges stemmed from Dales’s involvement in fentanyl distribution, possession of illegal firearms, and the use of stolen identities to commit fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In December 2024, Dales was found guilty of multiple offenses, including possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and unlawful possession of firearms. He later admitted to engaging in a scheme to defraud government pandemic relief programs and businesses by using stolen personal information. The investigation uncovered that Dales had acquired more than $120,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits and merchandise, including high-end riding lawn mowers. At the time, he was living in a luxury apartment in Locust Point while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction.

During a search of his residence in January 2023, law enforcement discovered two loaded firearms, including a stolen Smith & Wesson and an untraceable “ghost gun,” along with ammunition, drug packaging materials, cutting agents, and hundreds of grams of fentanyl. Six cell phones recovered from the apartment revealed encrypted Telegram messages showing Dales’s efforts to buy drugs and supplies from sources, including overseas producers in China. Investigators also uncovered travel records indicating he transported cash and a firearm to Boston to purchase drugs.

Following his conviction on drug and firearms offenses, Dales pled guilty to wire fraud and identity theft, admitting to filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims and using stolen identities to secure loans and merchandise. Items seized from his apartment included computers, forged South Carolina driver’s licenses, a card printer, and materials commonly used to create fake identification cards. The fraudulent activities occurred between 2020 and 2022, while Dales was serving time in a halfway house during his supervised release. Authorities linked his crimes to broader efforts to combat pandemic relief fraud through the Department of Justice’s COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force.

Dales’s case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing violent crime and gun offenses through collaboration among law enforcement and community organizations. Officials emphasized the seriousness of his offenses and the importance of holding repeat offenders accountable, particularly when their crimes endanger public safety through drug distribution, weapons violations, and the exploitation of government relief programs.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland

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