Two Des Moines men have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. The sentencing took place on July 11, 2025.
Ajang Malou Wour, aged 43, and Omar Mohamed Nurani, aged 22, were implicated in the distribution of fentanyl pills and powder. According to court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Wour began trafficking fentanyl shortly after being released from federal supervision in the summer of 2023. Over an 18-month period, he distributed more than 60,000 fentanyl pills and 40 ounces of fentanyl powder. Nurani frequently received these pills from Wour and sold them to other distributors and customers.
In June 2024, Wour sold fentanyl pills to Nurani, who then passed them on to a customer. This customer overdosed and died after using the pills. Despite this incident, both Wour and Nurani continued their illegal activities. Nurani was found to have distributed over 2,000 fentanyl pills and eight ounces of fentanyl powder.
Wour received a sentence of 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Nurani was sentenced to 120 months in prison with four years of supervised release thereafter. In the federal system, there is no option for parole.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal from the Southern District of Iowa. The case involved investigations by the Des Moines Police Department with support from the Ankeny Police Department and the Mid-Iowa Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Fentanyl has become a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with youth fatalities rising significantly between 2018 and 2022 due to counterfeit pills laced with lethal doses of the substance. More information can be found on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website under "One Pill Can Kill."
