Gabriel Hawthorne, Fentanyl Distribution, Louisiana 2023

LAFAYETTE, La. – Gabriel Hawthorne, 41, of Abbeville, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the Abbeville area. Hawthorne was found guilty by a federal jury on November 16, 2023, of the conspiracy charge and on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to the investigation, Hawthorne conspired with Frederick Malaki Thornton and Andrea Mitchell to distribute fentanyl in Abbeville. Hawthorne’s business, ZZ’s Kitchen, was used to store narcotics that were sold by Mitchell and Thornton. Mitchell admitted that Hawthorne would mix the fentanyl before giving it to her to sell.

The suspected heroin sold by Mitchell and Thornton was seized and sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing, resulting in a positive test for fentanyl. Hawthorne’s co-defendants, Thornton and Mitchell, have both pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Hawthorne to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

Hawthorne’s involvement in the fentanyl distribution ring was uncovered after an individual exchanged a series of phone calls and text messages with Mitchell in March 2022. Mitchell agreed to sell heroin to the individual, and Thornton and Hawthorne were involved in arranging the distribution.

The investigation resulted in a superseding indictment charging Hawthorne and his co-defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. Hawthorne went to trial on the charges and was found guilty by a federal jury.

With this sentencing, Hawthorne will be serving a 10-year prison sentence for his role in the fentanyl distribution ring. The DEA and U.S. Attorney’s Office continue to work together to combat the opioid epidemic in Louisiana.

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