Deona’tre Capri Dowell, a 30-year-old resident of Beckley, West Virginia, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Dowell acknowledged his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base, commonly known as "crack," within Beckley and other areas in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Court documents reveal that on May 25, 2024, Dowell received an ounce of fentanyl from a co-conspirator at his residence. He admitted to requesting the fentanyl by phone earlier that day and discussed adding a cutting agent to increase profits for repayment purposes. During May 2024, Dowell obtained additional fentanyl quantities on consignment from his supplier.
On May 30, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Dowell's home. They discovered approximately 535 grams of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, and two firearms: a Romarm Micro Draco 7.62mm firearm and a Glock model 21 .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun. Dowell confessed to possessing these substances with the intent to distribute them.
Dowell is scheduled for sentencing on April 11, 2025. He faces up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
Dowell is one of twelve individuals indicted for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack within the Southern District of West Virginia between June 2023 and May 2024. Five defendants have pleaded guilty so far; charges against others are pending. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
United States Attorney Will Thompson praised the investigative efforts of several agencies including the FBI; ATF; Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit; West Virginia State Police; Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department; and Beckley Police Department.
The hearing was overseen by United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn with Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuting the case.
This investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which aims to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations posing significant threats to public safety or national security in the U.S.