PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Dion’te Wingate, 24, of Crestview, Florida, is headed to federal prison for over a decade. He was sentenced to 162 months – thirteen and a half years – after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida announced today. The sentence isn’t just about locking up a dealer; it’s a stark reminder of the poison flooding our streets and the damage it inflicts.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) first caught Wingate on December 14, 2023. Deputies found him in a vehicle with a known felon, and a search revealed he was carrying a substantial amount of methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, and fentanyl pills. He wasn’t deterred. Less than seven months later, on June 19, 2024, OCSO found Wingate again, this time asleep in a car reeking of marijuana outside a Destin bar. A state warrant was issued, but before a search could be completed, Wingate ditched a bag of fentanyl powder near the vehicle. Double dipping into dealing, and still trying to hide the evidence.
“This defendant has flooded our communities with deadly poison that inflicted untold harm and destruction,” stated U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin. “But thanks to the incredible work of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, he will spend his days in a federal prison cell. My office will stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women of our state law enforcement partners to make our communities safe by aggressively prosecuting those who traffic dangerous drugs.” It’s a tough statement, but it reflects the reality of the opioid crisis gripping the nation.
Sheriff Eric Aden of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office echoed that sentiment. “Fentanyl and methamphetamine are poisoning our communities at an alarming rate,” he said. “This case however is a great example of how teamwork between local and federal agencies can help get dangerous individuals and the poison they peddle off our streets.” The collaboration between OCSO and the DEA’s Miami Field Division was crucial to building a solid case against Wingate. DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter bluntly stated, “People who peddle these deadly substances have zero regard for other lives. They profit on suffering, and our agents will not stop until these traffickers are brought to justice.”
This investigation was a joint effort between the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case. The prosecution is a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations and combating violent crime. The operation focuses resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 across the country, tasked with federal litigation under the direction of the Attorney General. Public court documents related to this case can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For further information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Related Federal Cases
- Tampa Predator Manning Gets 10 Years for Child Sex Trafficking Attempt · Florida
- Naomi Ruth Smith on Trial for Child Sex Trafficking · Georgia
- New Smyrna Gunrunner Carter Gets 51 Months · Florida
- Lee & Downing: MD Pimps Plead Guilty to Sex Trafficking · Maryland
- Todd Gets 19+ Years for Sickening Child Porn Collection · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News