Kalamazoo Kingpin Terrance Moore Sentenced to 21 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking

GRAND RAPIDS – In a major blow to Kalamazoo’s dark underworld, 36-year-old Terrance Moore has been sentenced to 21 years and 8 months in prison for his role in a massive fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

According to the Department of Justice, Moore, a Kalamazoo resident, was the mastermind behind a drug trafficking operation that distributed deadly fentanyl, methamphetamine, and hydrocodone in the Kalamazoo area between January 2023 and March 2023. Moore’s operation was so brazen that Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety officers found 330 grams of methamphetamine hidden inside a Pacman arcade game during a search of his apartment.

“These Kalamazoo defendants trafficked illegal drugs, including fentanyl, which is driving the ongoing epidemic of drug poisoning deaths across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “While we will never prosecute our way out of this epidemic, we will hold those who push these poisons accountable. These sentences should make clear to every dealer and would-be dealer that making fast cash off this lethal enterprise does not pay.”

Moore’s accomplices, Darnell Moore, 30, and Ellis Hull, 31, were also sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy. Darnell Moore, Terrance’s cousin and business partner, was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison for possessing about 27 grams of methamphetamine and over 4 grams of fentanyl. Ellis Hull, who helped deliver drugs to customers and collect money, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

The investigation, led by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and the Drug Enforcement Administration, uncovered a vast network of fentanyl trafficking that threatened the safety of the community. “Moore was the head of an organization responsible for distributing dangerous methamphetamine and fentanyl throughout west Michigan,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene. “At the time of his arrest, Moore had enough fentanyl to cause an untold amount of suffering and death. This sentence should send a clear message, those who choose to profit from the suffering of others will be brought to justice.”

The Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET) praised the sentences, stating, “We will continue to focus our enforcement efforts on those who are selling deadly drugs and carrying illegal firearms to help keep our community safe.” The case is a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies in the region to combat the growing threat of fentanyl trafficking.