Dallas man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance

DALLAS - United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that Demario White, a 40-year-old Dallas man who distributed fentanyl pills to minors, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on July 6.

"Let this lengthy sentence serve as a warning that anyone who distributes deadly drugs to children in the Northern District of Texas will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "Just two milligrams of fentanyl-equivalent to 10-15 grains of table salt-is considered a lethal dose. My office is laser focused on eradicating this deadly drug from our communities throughout North Texas."

"Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered," said Ivan Carrera, Acting Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. "Selling drugs alone is a serious transgression, but to sell deadly fentanyl to a juvenile is one of the most shocking and callous ways to hurt a community. The sentence handed down to Mr. White is a clear message that the production and trafficking of fentanyl will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods. DEA Dallas and our partners will continue to work together and keep this poison off our streets."

According to court documents, White distributed counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl to a juvenile male. The juvenile male and his friend took the pills and the 14-year-old friend overdosed but survived after medical intervention. The juvenile male told the police that "Mario" provided him and his juvenile friend with seven pills for $35.

On April 17, 2024, officers obtained an arrest warrant for White and subsequently executed a search warrant at his residence located on Brookgreen Drive in Dallas. Officers located thousands of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl during the search of White's apartment. After his arrest, White told officers that he would obtain 3,000 to 4,000 fentanyl pills at a time and sell each pill for $5.

A grand jury indicted White in May 2024 and he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance in March. U.S. District Judge Godbey sentenced White to 240 months in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Richardson Police Department, Hickory Creek Police Department, Dallas Police Department, and the Dallas County District Attorney's Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phelesa M. Guy prosecuted the case.

###