SHERMAN, Texas - Two North Texas men have been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for their roles in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that distributed thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including communities in the Eastern District of Texas.
U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced that Heath Darrian Denson, 28, of Dallas, and Tyson Lamar Johnson, 38, of Plano, pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking offenses.
On July 28, U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III sentenced Denson to 135 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Johnson, also known as "TY" and "TeeWhy," was also sentenced to 135 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Denson and Johnson participated in a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including the Eastern District of Texas.
Investigators also determined Johnson operated a "trap house," or drug distribution location, on McCallum Avenue in Dallas.
During a search of the residence, law enforcement officers recovered a firearm that prosecutors said was used to further the drug trafficking operation.
Keith Brown, director of the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), said the case demonstrates the continuing threat posed by fentanyl distribution networks.
"The scourge of fentanyl has caused devastation and destruction across all of our communities," Brown said. "Trap houses filled with drugs and guns aren't just figments of Hollywood's imagination. They are real, tangible, and active in all of our neighborhoods. Texoma HIDTA will remain committed to assisting all of our partners in helping attack this plague on our society."
The investigation was conducted through the Texoma HIDTA by the Plano Police Department, the FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Smith prosecuted the case.
