Four South Florida residents have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The sentencing follows a series of investigations led by the DEA Miami Field Division, with support from local law enforcement agencies.
On January 16, Gito St Fort, 35, from West Palm Beach, was sentenced to 320 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death. St Fort sold fentanyl that resulted in a victim's death on December 24, 2023.
Anwar Hazzi, 36, from Sunny Isles Beach, received a sentence of 200 months on January 15. Hazzi admitted to selling over 900 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of meth concealed within counterfeit prescription pills between June 2023 and May 2024. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy and possession charges related to drug trafficking.
Samantha Yi, 31, from Lake Worth, was sentenced to 288 months on the same day as Hazzi. She and her former boyfriend Darnell Julio Mendez were involved in selling fentanyl leading to the overdose death of an infant in March 2022. Mendez was previously sentenced to 360 months in October.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael, Brian Ralston, and Shannon O’Shea Darsch. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida highlighted the dangers posed by synthetic opioids like fentanyl during the announcement of these sentences.
According to DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment report, nitazenes—synthetic opioids similar or stronger than fentanyl—have appeared increasingly in drug mixtures since 2019. These combinations significantly heighten overdose risks.
Fentanyl is known for its potency; it is up to fifty times stronger than heroin and one hundred times stronger than morphine. Even small amounts can be fatal. As per CDC data, synthetic opioids are now the most common cause of overdose deaths across various demographics nationwide.
For further details about these cases or information on related court documents can be accessed via official websites listed at the end of this report.
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