Gregg County man sentenced to over 17 years for trafficking fentanyl

TYLER, Texas -A Longview man who sold fake prescription drugs has been sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Desmond Denard Brown, also known as Money C, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 206 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on October 30, 2025.

According to information presented in court, on June 20, 2024, Brown received a U.S. Postal Service package in which investigators discovered nearly five and a half kilograms of pills containing fentanyl. The pills delivered to Brown were round and light blue, bearing the markings "M" and "30," which are the same manufacturer's markings for 30 milligram tablets of oxycodone. The approximate street value of the seized pills exceeds $500,000. A subsequent search of Brown's phone revealed numerous text messages discussing the illegal distribution of pills to others.

Brown is a three-time felon, with previous convictions for aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Brown was also on federal supervised release at the time of the offense.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Eastern District of Texas Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Homeland Security Investigations; Gregg County Sheriff's Office; and the Longview Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek.

###