A Johnston man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a massive fentanyl trafficking operation that distributed thousands of potentially lethal doses of the deadly drug in Rhode Island.
Jonathan King, 33, of Johnston, was convicted in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He was sentenced to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.
According to prosecutors, King’s operation distributed and possessed enough fentanyl to create more than two million potentially lethal doses of the drugs. Some of the fentanyl-laced pills were even delivered at his direction by family members, including his father.
“The defendant’s drug distribution network put countless Rhode Island lives at risk for his own selfish gain,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha. “This prosecution, and today’s decade-long sentence should make one thing clear: in a time when overdose rates in our state remain at crisis levels, and every city and town in Rhode Island has seen opioid overdose deaths, we are determined to use every federal law enforcement tool at our disposal to stop combat significant opioid traffickers.”
King was also ordered to forfeit proceeds derived from his drug trafficking activities, including a Jaguar XF and $6,750 in cash seized at the time of his arrest on July 20, 2021.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Michael Seaman, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H Vilker. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island Drug Task Force, comprised of personnel from the DEA; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation; Rhode Island State Police; Cranston Police Department; Middletown Police Department; Newport Police Department; Pawtucket Police Department; Providence Police Department; Warwick Police Department; Woonsocket Police Department; and Amtrak Police.
DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Stephen P. Belleau praised the sentence, saying “Those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl disguised in pills to the citizens of Rhode Island need to be held accountable for their actions. Today’s sentence holds Mr. King accountable for his crimes and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put other callous distributers like him behind bars.”
King’s case is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of fentanyl trafficking in Rhode Island. As the state continues to grapple with the opioid crisis, law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Rhode Island Man Guilty of Fentanyl Trafficking in SE Mass · Massachusetts
- Rhode Island Man Sentenced 30 Months for Fentanyl Trafficking Role · Massachusetts
- Warwick Man Admits to Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced Pills Disguised as Percocet · Rhode Island
- Buffalos Gang Members Nabbed in Child Sex Trafficking · Massachusetts
- Garcia Gets 24 Months for Trafficking Teens · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News