Two Northern Virginia Men Sentenced to Prison for Years-Long Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Following Homeland Security Task Force Investigation (DOJ)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Dontavious Rashid Whitaker, 28, of Alexandria, and D'Moni Anthony Moten, 27, of Woodbridge, were sentenced today to 20 years and over 16 years in prison respectively for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit pressed pills containing carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin.

According to court documents, from at least December 2021 to November 2025, Whitaker and Moten participated in a conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pressed pills containing opioids including heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil - a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl.

On Feb. 19, 2025, in Alexandria, the United States Marshals Service (USMS) attempted to stop a Range Rover operated by Whitaker and a Jaguar operated by Moten. Whitaker and Moten attempted to flee and ultimately fled on foot from their vehicles. The Range Rover contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 13 rounds in an attached magazine, over 1,800 pills containing 203 grams of fentanyl, various prescription pills, multiple pounds of suspected marijuana, cocaine, a digital scale, and two cellphones. The Jaguar contained a loaded handgun with a round in the chamber and 10 rounds in an attached magazine, a large quantity of suspected marijuana, 32 grams of cocaine, and pills containing 109 grams of fentanyl. During a search of a residence associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other conspirators, investigators seized a handgun with a round in the chamber and 17 rounds in the attached magazine, another handgun with a round in the chamber and 33 rounds in the attached magazine, bulk marijuana, various prescription pills, over 1,000 fentanyl pills containing 120 grams of fentanyl, $182,568, and a money counter.

Subsequently, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases from Whitaker and Moten, two of which involved the sale of pills totaling 1,058 grams of a mixture containing heroin. On Nov. 12, 2025, law enforcement searched multiple locations and vehicles associated with Whitaker, Moten, and other coconspirators. Whitaker was located in one residence with a loaded handgun, approximately $50,000 in cash, and over $70,000 in high-end jewelry in his bedroom. Another loaded handgun was located in another bedroom in the same residence. A search of a vehicle associated with Whitaker and Moten resulted in the seizure of nearly 10,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing 721 grams of carfentanil, 116 grams of fentanyl, and 108 grams of heroin. The search of a second residence identified as a narcotics stash location associated with the conspiracy resulted in the seizure of scattered fentanyl pills and a Draco AK-47 style pistol with a round in the chamber and the magazine next to the firearm. A second vehicle associated with Whitaker was searched and found to contain 1,000 counterfeit pressed pills containing approximately 108 grams of fentanyl.

On Feb. 6, Whitaker pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Whitaker was sentenced today to 20 years in prison.

On Feb. 6, Moten pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute carfentanil, fentanyl, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute and attempted possession with intent to distribute carfentanil; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Moten was sentenced today to 16 years and eight months in prison.

This case 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 Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Diplomatic Security Service; USMS; the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; Customs and Border Protection; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The DEA and ATF investigated this case with assistance from USMS, the IRS Criminal Investigation Washington Field Office, Virginia State Police, Alexandria Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Prince George County Police Department, and Prince William County Police Department.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Hahn prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District CourtLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-19 (Moten) and 1:26-cr-20 (Whitaker).