KC Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Fentanyl Death Conspiracy

A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for leading a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death, according to the U.S. Department of Justice USAO in Missouri.

Dmitry Cattell, 24, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, May 2, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for 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.

Cattell distributed at least 6,225 doses of fentanyl during the conspiracy from Sept. 12, 2019, to April 5, 2022. He also admitted to the conspiracy involving at least 1.1 kilograms of cocaine. The evidence presented during the sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020.

The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents. According to court documents, law enforcement officers responded four times to Cattell’s residence for drug overdoses. After Cattell sold a pill to his sister, which caused her overdose, a search warrant was executed at his residence on Nov. 10, 2020. Law enforcement officers found drug paraphernalia and a Taurus handgun with a defaced serial number, which was under the pillow on Cattell’s bed.

Cattell is among 11 defendants who have been convicted in this case, and 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. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Brackett and Stephanie Bradshaw.

The investigation was conducted 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. This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative.

The OCDETF program is designed to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States. The co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks.

Kansas City Metropolitan Strike Force is a key player in this operation, working to dismantle the networks of organized crime. This operation highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in the fight against organized crime.

The prosecution of this case demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice to hold accountable those who engage in drug trafficking and related crimes. The public safety and well-being depend on the efforts of law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice.

In the words of Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Brackett, ‘This case is a prime example of the devastating consequences of fentanyl trafficking and the importance of holding accountable those who engage in this activity.’

The community is safer thanks to the efforts of law enforcement agencies who worked tirelessly to bring this case to justice. The Grimy Times will continue to report on this and other cases of organized crime.