A Des Moines resident has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing fentanyl. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2025.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Sharmarke Omar Mohamed, aged 37, was identified in the fall of 2023 as a supplier of counterfeit fentanyl pills in the Des Moines metro area. Police conducted several controlled purchases of hundreds of these pills from Mohamed. In early 2024, law enforcement observed Mohamed traveling to Arizona and returning swiftly to Iowa. A traffic stop led to the discovery of approximately 30,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills in his vehicle.
On September 30, 2024, after a one-day bench trial, a federal judge found Mohamed guilty. During sentencing, it was determined that Mohamed obstructed justice by committing perjury during his trial by lying under oath.
Following his imprisonment term, Mohamed will serve a six-year supervised release period. There is no parole available in the federal system.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal from the Southern District of Iowa. The case investigation was carried out by the Des Moines Police Department-Narcotics Division.
Fentanyl remains a significant concern as it is now the leading cause of drug overdose deaths across the United States. Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl often resemble legitimate pharmaceutical products but can contain lethal doses of fentanyl. In 2023, accidental overdoses were reported as the primary cause of death for residents under 40 years old in 37 states. Iowa experienced record high opioid-related deaths reaching 258 in 2021—a rise of 64% compared with figures from 2019—followed by an eight percent decrease in fatalities during 2022.