Keyon Lewis, Fentanyl Distribution Resulting in Death, Florida 2021

MIAMI – In a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of fentanyl trafficking, Keyon Lewis, a 27-year-old Indian River County resident, pleaded guilty in federal court in Fort Pierce to distribution of fentanyl, which resulted in the death of another person. The tragic event unfolded on November 5, 2021, when Lewis sold fentanyl to a man in a parking lot in Vero Beach, Florida.

The unsuspecting victim, however, was not the only one affected by Lewis’s actions. The next day, the victim’s wife found him dead on the kitchen floor of their residence. In a disturbing twist, law enforcement officers discovered the victim’s body and subsequently used the victim’s cellphone to order more fentanyl from Lewis, leading to his arrest on November 7, 2021, at the victim’s residence.

As part of the plea documents filed with the court, Lewis admitted to knowingly distributing fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly, with as little as two milligrams – about the size of 5 grains of salt – being fatal.

The case highlights the alarming rise in overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, with the State of Florida experiencing an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl.

Lewis’s sentencing is scheduled for May 21 before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon in Fort Pierce. Lewis faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA Miami Field Division and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO), with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Porter prosecuting the case.

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