SHERMAN, Texas – In a major blow to the fentanyl trafficking epidemic, an Atlanta man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas.

Clarence Nero, 56, was convicted following a three-day trial of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on June 24, 2025.

Nero was the organizer of a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that smuggled fentanyl across the United States border into Arizona, and then from Phoenix to New Orleans and the east coast.

The investigation into Nero’s operation led to the seizure of 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl hidden in a false compartment in a vehicle during a traffic stop on Highway 380 in Denton County on February 14, 2022.

The investigation revealed Nero as the principal supplier responsible for trafficking fentanyl in a conspiracy that spanned the southern United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Anderson and Chris Rapp.

As part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling the networks of fentanyl traffickers and bringing them to justice.

Nero’s sentence serves as a stark reminder of the severity of the consequences for those involved in fentanyl trafficking.

The Department of Justice will continue to prioritize the prosecution of fentanyl traffickers and work to disrupt their operations.