A Des Moines man, Kenneth Leroy Quinn, also known as "Coach K," has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. The sentence follows his distribution of fentanyl, which resulted in the overdose death of a one-year-old child.

Court documents reveal that on April 29, 2023, Quinn distributed pills containing fentanyl. A customer used some of these pills and took the remainder home. Tragically, the customer's one-year-old son ingested the fentanyl mixture and died from acute fentanyl toxicity. This incident prompted law enforcement to investigate Quinn further.

During their investigation, authorities purchased marijuana from Quinn on six occasions. In November 2023, a search warrant was executed at Quinn's residence in Des Moines. The search uncovered four firearms, over five pounds of marijuana, nearly an ounce of methamphetamine, and three-quarters of an ounce of cocaine.

Upon completing his prison term, Quinn will be subjected to a five-year supervised release period; there is no parole option in the federal system. Additionally, he has been ordered to pay $1,847 in restitution.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa announced this development. The case was investigated by several agencies including the Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and West Des Moines Police Department.

Fentanyl remains a leading cause of drug overdose deaths across the United States. Between 2018 and 2022, fentanyl-related deaths among youth aged 15 to 24 more than doubled. Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl often mimic pharmaceutical medications but can contain lethal doses. For more information about the dangers associated with fentanyl and programs like One Pill Can Kill visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website.