Jermaine Mathews, identified as the “instigator” of a violent downtown Cincinnati brawl last month, has now been indicted on federal drug charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Southern Ohio alleges that the 39-year-old conspired to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl, and operated a drug trafficking hub on Kenton Street in the city.
Mathews, who was already facing state-level charges for assault and aggravated riot related to the brawl, was arrested again—this time by federal authorities working alongside the Hamilton County Sheriff’s RENU unit. Co-conspirators include three additional individuals from Cincinnati, who were all charged in the ongoing investigation.
This new development marks a sharp escalation in legal consequences tied to the downtown altercation, which unfolded outside a nightclub and was captured on viral video. The assault left multiple people injured, including a woman named Holly, who sustained traumatic brain injury during the attack.