A deadly fentanyl trafficking scheme that plagued a Detroit neighborhood has come to a close with the sentencing of one of its leaders.
Lavante Brown, 30, of Detroit, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy that resulted in overdoses and at least one death, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 16, 2023.
An FBI investigation revealed that a group of dealers operated an on-demand drive-through for drugs, including crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, on Yacama Street in Detroit, Michigan.
Residents of the area had been plagued with this incessant drug activity, resulting in home abandonments, which were, in turn, used to further the distribution.
The scheme caused many overdoses, including at least one fatal overdose.
All seven members of the conspiracy, most of whom had lengthy criminal histories, pleaded guilty to offenses related to the sales of controlled substances on Yacama Street.
The co-defendants and their sentences are listed below:
Defendants and Sentences:
Anthony Foster, 38, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Willie Swift, 58, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to over 10 years in prison.
Terrance Hall, 34, of Eastpointe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Dana Hudson, 46, of Detroit, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
David Terry, 41, of Harper Woods, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to over 4 years in prison.
Justin Fields, 33, of Rochester Hills, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to one day custody with credit for time-served, followed by three years of supervised release.
“These defendants believed that they could take over areas of our city, destroy neighborhoods, and risk others’ lives with impunity, but these sentences should serve as notice that federal law enforcement will not stand idly by while drug dealers do harm to our community,” U.S. Attorney Ison said.
“Today’s sentencing marks a significant victory in our relentless fight against opioid trafficking and its devastating impact on our community,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan.
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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