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Tampa Men Sentenced for Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking
Tampa, FL – In a major blow to the heroin and fentanyl trafficking rings in Tampa, two Tampa men have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute at least 100 grams of heroin and fentanyl.
Arnold Gerard Nelson, Jr. (33, Tampa) was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison, while James Thomas Lang, III (33, Tampa) received an 11-year sentence. As part of their sentence, the court also entered a money judgment against Lang for $19,350, and a money judgment against Nelson for $25,200, the proceeds of the conspiracy.
According to court documents, from January 23 through October 30, 2018, Nelson and Lang conspired to sell substances containing heroin and fentanyl, and engaged in a series of transactions with an undercover officer (UC) and a confidential informant (CI). On January 23, 2018, Nelson and two other individuals met with the UC and CI at a residence in New Port Richey. During this meeting, Nelson sold the UC more than 28 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl.
Nelson and Lang met with the UC and CI again at the same residence on April 5, 2019, and sold the UC more than 55 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. They also sold heroin to the UC on April 19 and May 10, 2018, and during the May 10 transaction, they also sold approximately 23 grams of tablets purported to contain the drug ecstasy (MDMA). However, laboratory analysis revealed that the tablets actually contained methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), a nationwide crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.
U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials in the Middle District of Florida. This case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat heroin and fentanyl trafficking in the region and the importance of community partnerships in addressing this critical issue.
The sentences handed down to Nelson and Lang serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in heroin and fentanyl trafficking. The Grimy Times will continue to report on this and other cases related cases, shedding light on the impact of these crimes on our communities and the efforts being made to prevent and prosecute them.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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