California Drug Kingpin Sentenced to 15 Years for Oklahoma Meth Sales

Eric Steven Bentley, a ruthless drug dealer from California, was handed a severe 15-year federal prison sentence for selling methamphetamine in northeastern Oklahoma. The sentence, announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson, comes after Bentley’s arrest in Mannford, where police uncovered a arsenal of drugs and firearms.

Bentley, 35, from Bakersfield, was caught with over half a pound of methamphetamine, a cache of firearms including a .38 Special revolver and a semi-automatic pistol, and pills later identified as fentanyl and oxycodone. The defendant pleaded guilty to possession of meth with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to Bentley’s plea agreement, he traveled to Oklahoma with two accomplices, Derrick Deeds and Nicole Dileva, to exchange the deadly drug for cash and weapons. The trio also used the firearms as protection during their illegal operations.

The trio was busted after a traffic stop on October 31, 2020, where Mannford police officers discovered the stash of drugs and weaponry. Both Deeds and Dileva, also from Bakersfield, received sentences of 78 months and 60 months respectively for their roles in the crime.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Mannford Police Department, DEA, and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Wright and Justin G. Bish led the prosecution of the case against Bentley.

Bentley’s sentence sends a stark message to drug traffickers that law enforcement is vigilant and relentless in its pursuit of justice, ensuring that dangerous individuals like him are locked away from our communities.

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