Michigan Man Sentenced to 270 Months in Prison

SOUTH BEND - On April 23, 2026, Devin Melvin, 33 years old, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

Melvin was sentenced to 270 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, Melvin was the organizer and leader of a fentanyl trafficking group consisting of Clinton Rouse, Tyler Wood, Justin Hervey, and Raquan Perry. The group worked together to distribute fentanyl pills throughout Michigan City over a period of approximately 10 months, between October 2023 and July 2024. During the spring of 2024, Melvin, Wood, and Rouse lived together at a home in Michigan City, and Melvin would transport tens of thousands of pills from the Detroit area to Michigan City for further distribution by the group. Law enforcement seized approximately 10,000 of these fentanyl pills during its investigation.

Last year, the other members of the drug trafficking organization pled guilty to various drug and firearm related offenses and were sentenced in federal court.

On May 20, 2025, Clinton Rouse of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.

On May 22, 2025, Tyler Wood, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and illegal use of a communications facility.

On February 27, 2025, Justin Hervey, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 125 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.

On June 6, 2025, Raquan Perry, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.

"Devin Melvin and his accomplices trafficked one of the most harmful drugs into our community," said U.S. Attorney Mildred. "Twenty-two and a half years in federal prison is the price he has chosen to pay for profiting from his illegal drug enterprise. Let this message be clear to those who seek to distribute this poison into the Northern District of Indiana: our law enforcement team will work tirelessly to find you and stop you. We are safer with this crew behind bars, thanks to the partnership of the DEA and their North Central Laboratory, ATF, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan and his office," Mildred said.

"Illicit fentanyl remains the primary cause of overdose deaths and poisonings in the United States, to include northern Indiana. Often, fentanyl is hidden in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, much like the ones trafficked by Mr. Melvin. Over the course of his unethical, immoral, and illegal career as a drug dealer, Mr. Melvin brought thousands of counterfeit pills, all containing deadly fentanyl, to northern Indiana from Michigan. It is unknown how many lives and families he destroyed. The Drug Enforcement Administration celebrates the collaborative effort among law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels in bringing Mr. Melvin to justice. He is now being held accountable for his crimes - and northern Indiana is safer and healthier because of it", said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.

"This case is another example of the strength of our shared partnerships in Northern Indiana in addition to highlighting the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force as an important tool in combatting drug trafficking. The defendants in this case put profits over human life and helped contribute to an epidemic that is causing destruction in our cities and neighborhoods. Today's sentence sends a strong message, but our work is not done. ATF will continue to work with our HSTF and other partners to disrupt firearm and drug trafficking networks and ensure those responsible are held accountable," said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.

"This case reflects what is possible when agencies commit to a unified, intelligence-driven approach to public safety," said Michigan City Chief of Police Steven Forker. "This was not a short-term effort-it was a sustained, coordinated investigation that removed a dangerous organization responsible for distributing fentanyl and contributing to violence in our community."

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office, the LaPorte County Prosecutor's Office, and the DEA North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.