TAMPA, FL – Theron Marquale Mathews, 37, of New Port Richey, Florida, is headed to federal prison for 15 years after admitting to running a large-scale fentanyl operation. U.S. District Judge William F. Jung delivered the sentence today, following Mathews’ guilty plea on March 11, 2025, to possession of 400 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The bust went down March 14, 2024, when agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) raided a New Port Richey residence Mathews shared with a co-conspirator. What they found wasn’t a home, it was a fentanyl processing mill. The operation wasn’t being run with bare hands; Mathews was heavily armed while peddling poison.
ATF agents, executing a search warrant, uncovered a staggering 980.8 grams of fentanyl – enough to kill countless people. Alongside the deadly powder, they seized a loaded Glock 20 10mm pistol, a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 40 caliber pistol, and an ATI Bulldog semi-automatic shotgun. The message was clear: Mathews was prepared to defend his lucrative, and lethal, business.
The court didn’t just lock up Mathews; they also ordered the forfeiture of those three firearms, as well as $41,176 in cash – proceeds directly linked to his drug trafficking activities. This isn’t just about taking a criminal off the street; it’s about dismantling a network built on profit and fueled by addiction.
The investigation, a collaborative effort between the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tampa Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, demonstrates the multi-agency approach needed to combat the fentanyl crisis. These agencies worked together to bring Mathews to justice, sending a clear signal that those who profit from this deadly drug will face severe consequences.
Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Beckman prosecuted the case, securing the 15-year sentence. Mathews will now have plenty of time to contemplate his choices, and the devastation wrought by his actions, behind bars. The Grimy Times will continue to track this case and other federal prosecutions across the nation, exposing the dark underbelly of criminal activity.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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