Sudiata Stinson, Fentanyl Distribution, Florida 2024

A Vero Beach man has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl, a highly deadly synthetic opioid.

Sudiata Stinson, 47, of Vero Beach, Fla., was sentenced to 188 months in prison on June 10, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez sitting in Miami.

Stinson pleaded guilty to an indictment charging two counts of distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl on February 7, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shaniek Maynard, sitting in Fort Pierce, Fla.

According to court documents filed in the case, law enforcement began investigating Stinson as the source of supply following the fentanyl overdose death of a young Vero Beach woman. Over the next few months, in a joint investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO) orchestrated two purchases of fentanyl from Stinson, which led to his indictment for two counts of distributing fentanyl.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Eric Flowers of the IRCSO made the announcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover.

The DEA's National Drug Threat Assessment notes that synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning the nation. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA's One Pill Can Kill campaign. Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose and laboratory testing indicates seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. The public is encouraged to be cautious.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-CR-14040.

The defendant's full name is Sudiata Stinson, and the exact criminal charges are two counts of distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. The city and state where the crime occurred is Vero Beach, Florida. The exact date was not specified in the source, but the sentencing occurred on June 10, 2024. The sentence or outcome is 188 months in prison.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/vero-beach-resident-sentenced-over-15-years-federal-prison-distributing-fentanyl