U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp has sentenced Deontae’ Tre’Von Overall to 23 years and eight months in prison for selling fake Percocet pills that resulted in a man's death in St. Louis County in 2022. Judge Schelp also ordered Overall to pay $21,736 in restitution to the victim's family.
The trial revealed that on December 3, 2022, the victim contacted Overall seeking Percocet but received counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. The victim died from fentanyl intoxication later that evening and was found by his family the next day.
Investigators from the St. Louis County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Overall by arranging purchases of counterfeit Percocet through his phone. Overall sold fentanyl to an undercover officer on July 19, 2023, and both fentanyl and methamphetamine on July 26. A search of his Belleville home on August 3 uncovered drug paraphernalia and pills similar to those he sold.
Overall pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances before his trial began and was convicted by jurors for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Judge Schelp noted that Overall “glorified” drug dealing, citing a music video where he discusses selling drugs while under house arrest. Assistant Special Agent Colin Dickey highlighted DEA efforts to warn against non-prescribed pills: "Drug-induced deaths are down 14.5% nationwide as of June 2024."
The case was investigated by local police and the DEA, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Epplin and Jerome McDonald.