A Cincinnati man, Devante Garrett, 30, has been sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for multiple drug trafficking offenses. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Thursday in Covington, Kentucky.
Garrett was found guilty in May 2025 after a four-day trial. According to evidence presented at trial, he led a conspiracy that distributed more than 275 grams of a substance containing a fentanyl analogue, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine. Authorities arrested Garrett in Kenton County on October 14, 2023; the drugs were discovered hidden behind the driver’s door panel of his vehicle. An earlier arrest occurred in Boone County on August 17, 2023, where officers found him with $6,440 in cash and a scale with residue from fentanyl and cocaine.
Witness testimony revealed that Garrett and James Waller regularly traveled from Cincinnati to Lexington to distribute drugs between May and October 2023.
Four other members of the conspiracy pleaded guilty and received prison sentences: James Waller was sentenced to 132 months; Quintus Jones received 60 months; Kasey Allen got 54 months; and Christopher Scull was sentenced to six months.
Under federal law, Garrett is required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for release. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky stated: "The investigation was conducted by DEA, KSP, Covington Police Department, Highland Heights Police Department, and Boone County Sheriff’s Office." He announced the sentencing jointly with Jim Scott (Special Agent in Charge for DEA Louisville Field Division), Phillip J. Burnett Jr. (Commissioner of Kentucky State Police), Chief Brian Valenti (Covington Police Department), Chief Bill Birkenhauer (Highland Heights Police Department), and Sheriff Michael Helmig (Boone County Sheriff’s Office).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Spievack and Tony Bracke prosecuted the case.
