Men jailed for flooding streets of Sheffield with Class A drugs worth over £400k
Four men involved in running a Sheffield drug line, responsible for flooding the city’s streets with drugs worth £400,000, have been sent to begin prison sentences totalling over 27 years.
Keelon Cartledge, Christian Kennedy, Lewis Showell and Reece Young were all involved in dealing heroin and crack cocaine in the south east of Sheffield.
The dealers used four drug lines run on different phone numbers to flood Sheffield streets with drugs between May 13, 2023 and March 25, 2024.
Their illegal enterprise was brought crashing down by police officers, who managed to connect members of the gang with the phone numbers being used to supply and run the drugs, as well as more evidence seized after raids of addresses linked to the four men.
Speaking today (Wednesday, November 26, 2025), Detective Sergeant James Dyson said of their enterprise: “These four offenders worked together, with Cartledge as the ringleader, to supply more than four kilograms of crack cocaine and heroin in a relatively short period of time.
“At one point, a phone used to run one of the drug lines was even taken on holiday with them so that their criminality could continue.
“Diligent phone work and extensive intelligence gathering have allowed us to smash this operation wide open, and I’m pleased the four men have been handed combined prison sentences of more than 26 years.”
The four defendants were all sent to begin prison sentences during a Sheffield Crown Court hearing held on Monday, November 17, 2025.
The sentences passed down are as follows:
Cartledge, aged 24, of Hardcastle Gardens, Woodhouse, Sheffield, was jailed for nine years.
Kennedy, aged 25, of Skelton Drive, Woodhouse, Sheffield, was jailed for six years and nine months.
Showell, aged 27, of Cawdor Road, Manor Top, Sheffield, was handed six years and nine months.
Young, aged 23, of Smelter Wood Court, Woodhouse, Sheffield, was jailed for five years and three months.
DS Dyson continued: “Those involved in the sale of drugs take advantage of the most vulnerable in our society and we work daily to disrupt offenders who often think they are untouchable. But, in reality, they are far from it.
“Our daily work is often aided by members of the public. If you think criminality related to drugs is happening near to where you live or work, you can report it to us online or by calling 101.
“We also understand some people do not feel comfortable giving information directly to the police. If you feel this way, you can report completely confidentially to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“They won’t ask for your details, no one will know you have contacted them, and you just might provide the vital piece of intelligence that helps us bring down more dangerous offenders and safeguard more victims.”