Dontez Justice, Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribut…

Dontez Justice, a 33-year-old man from Cincinnati, pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to possession with intent to distribute over five grams of methamphetamine, a charge that could land him behind bars for a decade or the rest of his life. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge David Bunning in Covington, Kentucky, caps a years-long federal investigation tied to a DEA sting operation.

According to court documents, on October 17, 2019, a cooperating source arranged to buy methamphetamine from Justice. As part of the sting, law enforcement monitored Justice’s movements and intercepted him en route to the deal. During a traffic stop, agents found 26.3 grams of pure methamphetamine in his possession—more than five times the threshold that triggers a mandatory minimum sentence.

In his plea agreement, Justice admitted he was on his way to deliver the drugs at the time of the stop. He also acknowledged prior convictions for cocaine trafficking in both Campbell and Kenton counties, setting the stage for enhanced penalties under federal sentencing guidelines due to his criminal history.

Federal prosecutors, led by U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. for the Eastern District of Kentucky, announced the guilty plea alongside Jeffrey T. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Louisville Field Division. The case was investigated entirely by the Drug Enforcement Administration, underscoring the agency’s ongoing push against interstate drug networks in the Ohio River Valley.

The United States was represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard. Justice was originally indicted in February 2019, meaning he has been under federal scrutiny for years before finally admitting guilt. His cooperation—or lack thereof—could influence the final sentence, though his prior convictions severely limit leniency.

Justice is scheduled to be sentenced on November 20. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life. However, the final term will be determined by the court after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes. With 26 grams of meth and a history of trafficking, Justice is unlikely to see the courtroom again as a free man for a long time.

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