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A man believed to have played a key role in a racially motivated fight in Cincinnati has been charged at the federal level with drug offenses. Jermaine Mathews, 39, was indicted for conspiring to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, alongside allegations of operating a drug trafficking premises in Cincinnati.

Mathews was also identified as the primary coordinator of a violent brawl on July 26 in downtown Cincinnati. Although he was initially charged locally with rioting and assault, he was re-arrested by federal agents and sheriff’s deputies.

He was first detained earlier this month along with eight others in connection with the incident, which involved a brutal assault outside a nightclub. One woman, only identified as Holly, was severely beaten and left unconscious during the melee, with footage capturing her lying bloodied on the ground.

The fight reportedly started after a white man shouted racial slurs at a group of Black individuals. This triggered the attack, during which the group of Black men assaulted Tchervinski, a white man, who was recorded shouting racial slurs and slapping another Black man. Authorities arrested seven of the Black men involved.

The incident escalated quickly, with Holly being struck and knocked out. She narrowly escaped death, as she was seen lying face-up amidst the chaos, bleeding from her mouth.

In addition to federal drug charges, Mathews faces allegations related to drug distribution activities on Kenton Street. Another individual, Montianez Merriweather, 34, was also federally charged with possessing a firearm illegally, due to a prior felony conviction.

While Tchervinski sustained injuries in the fight, he was later charged with disorderly conduct as public outrage grew over the violent incident and racial tensions surrounding it.