MIAMI - A South Florida fentanyl dealer whose product killed a man was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison for the distribution of a controlled substance.
On April 15, 2021, Donte McCray met with another man at a 7-11 convenience store in Lake Worth, Fla., with the intent of selling the man $100 worth of fentanyl. After the transaction, which was caught on the store’s surveillance camera, the victim returned to his residence at a local recovery and sober living facility. He injected himself with fentanyl later that evening.
The next day, officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from the aforementioned recovery and sober living facility in Lake Worth. Responding officers found the victim unresponsive, slumped over the edge of his bed with needle marks in his feet. A hypodermic syringe was found on a bedside table. The syringe was tested by the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office which confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.
McCray was discovered when Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office agents accessed the victim’s phone and recovered text messages and CashApp transactions between the victim and McCray. The text messages specifically discussed McCray selling fentanyl to the victim. Additionally, a review of the security camera at the convenience store showed McCray conducting a drug transaction with the victim.
On July 28, 2021, agents from the West Palm Beach Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted an undercover operation at a gas station in Lantana, Fla., to buy 58 grams worth of fentanyl for $4,200. The transaction was both audio and video recorded.
On Aug. 3, 2021, the purchased substance from McCray was tested by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory and was determined to be fentanyl. Soon after, McCray was taken in custody.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
The DEA, Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ralston prosecuted it.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 21-cr-80185.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
