KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy Linked to Overdose Death

A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death. Dmitry Cattell, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 2, for his role in the fentanyl conspiracy.

On Nov. 21, 2023, Cattell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distributing fentanyl, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being an illegal drug user in possession of a firearm. The investigation revealed that Cattell distributed at least 6,225 doses of fentanyl during the conspiracy from Sept. 12, 2019, to April 5, 2022. The conspiracy also involved at least 1.1 kilograms of cocaine, according to court documents.

Evidence presented during the sentencing hearing showed that the delivery of fentanyl caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim’s identity was not released in court documents. Law enforcement officers responded four times to Cattell’s residence for drug overdoses, including one incident where Cattell’s sister overdosed after buying a pill from him. A search warrant was executed at his residence on Nov. 10, 2020, where officers found drug paraphernalia and a Taurus handgun with a defaced serial number under Cattell’s pillow.

Cattell admitted to selling fentanyl to multiple individuals, including a woman who crashed her vehicle in front of his residence, his girlfriend, and his sister, all of whom overdosed. The narcotics were distributed by Cattell at his residence. This case is part of a larger investigation that has resulted in 11 convictions, with Cattell being the second defendant to be sentenced.

Co-defendant Dominic E. Holland, 25, was sentenced on Nov. 21, 2023, to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Stephanie Bradshaw. The investigation was led by the FBI, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Platte County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Kearney, Mo., Police Department, the Olathe, Kan., Police Department, and the Riverside, Mo., Police Department.

The prosecution was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative. This initiative provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location, enabling agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.

The OCDETF program aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to public safety, economic, or national security. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to combat organized crime and protect the American public from the devastating effects of narcotics trafficking.

With this sentencing, the community can rest a little easier knowing that justice has been served for the victims of Cattell’s fentanyl conspiracy. However, the war on drugs continues to rage on, and it is up to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to stay vigilant in their pursuit of justice.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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