Dontaz Lavan Brandon, Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, West Virginia 2020

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - A Baltimore man has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.

Dontaz Lavan Brandon, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Brandon admitted to working with another to distribute fentanyl in January 2020 in Berkeley County.

The case is the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Brandon faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Timothy D. Helman are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated. The task force consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings.

Brandon is currently awaiting sentencing, which will determine the exact length of his incarceration. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in West Virginia and the surrounding regions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/baltimore-man-admits-drug-trafficking-charge-0