Deona’tre Capri Dowell, a 31-year-old resident of Beckley, West Virginia, has been sentenced to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization. The organization was responsible for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base in Beckley and other areas within 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 arranging this transaction earlier that day and obtaining additional quantities of fentanyl on consignment during May 2024. Dowell repaid his supplier with proceeds from distributing the drugs.
A search warrant executed at Dowell's residence on May 30, 2024, led law enforcement officers to discover approximately 535 grams of methamphetamine, 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, a Romarm Micro Draco firearm, and a Glock model handgun. Dowell confessed to possessing these substances with the intent to distribute them.
Dowell is one among twelve individuals indicted for conspiring to distribute drugs within the Southern District from June 2023 to May 2024. All defendants have pleaded guilty; two did so on separate charges instead of those in the indictment.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced the sentencing and praised the efforts of various investigative bodies including the FBI, ATF, and local law enforcement units such as the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.
The sentence was imposed by Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess along with former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted this case.
This investigation is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), established in 1982 to target major drug trafficking organizations through coordinated efforts between federal agencies and local law enforcement.
Further details can be accessed via court documents available through PACER under Case No. 5:24-cr-90 or on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Southern District of West Virginia.