Illegally Armed Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Federal Prison

INDIANAPOLIS-Desmond Valentine, 32, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 190 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

According to court documents, on April 14, 2022, Valentine was pulled over by IMPD officers and arrested on a state charge for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. During a search, officers found a plastic baggie containing 7.31 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin in Valentine's pocket. Officers also found a 9mm Glock handgun inside of the pocket of a jacket laying in the back seat.

On the same day, IMPD officers executed a search warrant at Valentine's Indianapolis home. There, they found items used for preparing and processing fentanyl and heroin, including digital scales, cutting agents, and blender equipment. Through subsequent investigation, officers determined that Valentine had been dealing heroin and fentanyl since the summer of 2021, distributing over 400 grams of fentanyl.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person's body size, tolerance, and past usage-a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

Valentine is prohibited by law from ever possessing a firearm due to his previous felony convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, aggravated battery, and robbery.

"This violent felon was pumping deadly fentanyl and heroin into our community-all while illegally armed," said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "Every neighborhood deserves to be safe from criminals dealing deadly drugs and armed with deadly weapons. I commend the DEA, IMPD, and our federal prosecutors for their efforts to hold this defendant accountable and take him off our streets. The federal prison sentence imposed here demonstrates that these very serious crimes carry very serious consequences."

The Drug Enforcement Administration and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha G. Spiro, who prosecuted this case.

One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as "M30s" imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have "M" and "30" imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street - they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won't know until it's too late.

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