SHERMAN, Texas – A Georgian man has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a massive fentanyl distribution conspiracy in East Texas.
Clarence Nero, 56, of Atlanta, was convicted following a three-day trial of conspiring to traffic fentanyl and was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on June 24, 2025.
Nero, the mastermind behind the operation, smuggled fentanyl across the U.S. border into Arizona and then from Phoenix to New Orleans and the east coast, according to court documents.
The case began to unravel on February 14, 2022, when Quanita Brown was pulled over on Highway 380 in Denton County for a traffic stop. A police K-9 discovered 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl hidden in a false compartment in the vehicle.
An investigation into the source of the fentanyl revealed Nero as the principal supplier responsible for trafficking fentanyl in a conspiracy that spanned the southern United States.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to combat the invasion of illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Anderson and Chris Rapp prosecuting the case.
Nero’s sentencing brings an end to a lengthy investigation and a significant blow to the fentanyl trafficking network that has ravaged communities across East Texas.
Related Federal Cases
- Clarence Nero Sentenced to 22 Years for East Texas Fentanyl Trafficking Ring · Texas
- Kareem Swinton Gets 10 Years for Crack Pipeline to Conn. · Connecticut
- Kareem Swinton Gets 10 Years for Flooding Norwich with Crack · Connecticut
- Meth Kingpin Montano-Rodriguez Gets 27 Years · Illinois
- Arizona Man Sentenced to Life for Methamphetamine Conspiracy · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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