A Cincinnati man has been convicted on charges related to drug trafficking. The verdict was delivered by a federal jury in Covington, Kentucky, after a four-day trial. Devante Garrett, 30, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of a fentanyl analogue with intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The jury reached their decision following an hour and twenty minutes of deliberations. Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Garrett had conspired with others to distribute a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including more than 275 grams of a fentanyl analogue and over 40 grams of fentanyl, alongside cocaine. Garrett was apprehended on October 14, 2023, in Kenton County, where he was found with the drugs concealed in the driver’s door panel of his vehicle. Earlier, on August 17, 2023, he was arrested in Boone County while carrying $6,440 and a scale with fentanyl and cocaine residue. Witnesses also testified that Garrett regularly traveled to Lexington, Kentucky, from May to August 2023 to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
The conviction was announced by several law enforcement officials. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, remarked alongside Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Louisville Field Division, and other regional law enforcement leaders.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies, including the DEA, Kentucky State Police, and local police departments in Covington and Highland Heights, as well as the Boone County Sheriff's Office. The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Spievack and Tony Bracke.
Garrett's sentencing is scheduled for August 21, where he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment which could extend to a life sentence. The Court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant federal statutes in determining his sentence.
