Des Moines Drug Kingpin O’Boyle Jailed for 220 Months

DES MOINES, Iowa – The streets of Des Moines are feeling the weight of justice as Sean Michael O’Boyle, a 34-year-old drug kingpin, was sentenced to a staggering 220 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

On July 17, 2025, O’Boyle’s reign of terror came to an end when he faced the brunt of the law. Public court documents and evidence laid bare the extent of his criminal activity, revealing that in fall 2024, O’Boyle was selling and receiving distribution-quantities of the deadly substance fentanyl.

The fateful encounter with law enforcement on September 30, 2024, marked the beginning of O’Boyle’s downfall. After being approached by authorities, he fled in his vehicle, leading to a high-speed chase that ended when he hit a police vehicle and crashed into a tree. His desperate attempt to escape only intensified as he continued running on foot, culminating in him tossing a stolen, loaded firearm into someone’s yard.

Inside the car O’Boyle had driven, police found a distribution quantity of fentanyl and another firearm. At the sentencing hearing, the court found O’Boyle responsible for 315 grams of fentanyl and recklessly creating a substantial risk of injury during his flight from law enforcement.

In addition to his imprisonment, O’Boyle will be under supervised release for five years after serving his sentence. There is no parole in the federal system, ensuring that he will remain behind bars until his designated release date.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing, emphasizing the gravity of O’Boyle’s crimes and their impact on the community. This case was a collaboration between law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, which has made it a priority to combat the spread of fentanyl and its devastating effects.

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States, with youth ages 15 to 24 experiencing a more than doubling of fentanyl-related deaths between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often mimic prescription drugs but contain lethal doses of the substance. For more information on this deadly trend, visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website where they warn: ‘One Pill Can Kill’.

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