David Thomas Jr, Meth and Fentanyl Trafficking, MA 2024

A Stow man is facing federal charges after being caught with a lethal stash of drugs tied to the nation’s opioid crisis. David Thomas, Jr., 29, was indicted on two counts: possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute a deadly mix of fentanyl and heroin.

The indictment, handed down in federal court, alleges Thomas possessed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 12 grams of a fentanyl-heroin mixture on February 23, 2019. Federal prosecutors say the quantities go far beyond personal use, pointing to a clear intent to sell and distribute.

Fentanyl, often mixed with heroin, is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times more potent than morphine and has been responsible for thousands of overdose deaths across Ohio. The presence of over half a kilo of meth amplifies the danger, law enforcement sources say, signaling a major supply operation in the Akron-area drug trade.

The case was investigated by a joint task force involving the FBI and South Euclid Police Department, agencies that have intensified efforts to dismantle networks feeding the region’s addiction epidemic. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Burke is leading the prosecution.

If convicted, Thomas’s sentence will be determined by the court, weighing factors such as criminal history, role in the offense, and the nature of the violation. While the statutory maximum applies, actual sentences often fall below that threshold depending on federal guidelines and cooperation.

An indictment is not a conviction. David Thomas, Jr. is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden of proof remains squarely on the government as the case moves through the federal justice system.

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