Smith County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine Laced with Fentanyl

TYLER, Texas – A Tyler man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs today.

Devonte Ladarius Davis, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl near a school or college and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.

According to information presented in court, on August 18, 2021, Davis sold approximately 102 pills to a person working with law enforcement.  The pills were found to contain approximately 55 grams of fentanyl.  This distribution occurred at a Tyler location within 1,000 feet of a public junior college. 

In all, Davis was responsible for the possession and intent to distribute 109 grams of pills containing fentanyl and 98 grams of methamphetamine.  Davis was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 24, 2022 and charged with drug trafficking violations. 

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Tyler Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson. 

###