A Youngstown, Ohio man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a resident in Western Pennsylvania and for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab handed down the sentence to Eliot Gentry, 28, who previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl resulting in death and conspiring to distribute large amounts of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. In addition to the prison term, Gentry will serve five years of supervised release after his incarceration.
Court records show that Gentry had prior convictions and state prison sentences related to violent crimes and drug trafficking. He organized a drug distribution operation across Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania as well as Youngstown, Ohio. The operation included trafficking drugs that led directly to a fatal overdose in January 2022.
Gentry used dealers—including juveniles—to run traphouses he set up in Mercer County. These locations were stocked with narcotics and firearms used for intimidation and enforcing payments.
Even while briefly incarcerated during 2022, Gentry continued running aspects of the scheme. After being indicted and detained pending trial, he continued criminal activity inside detention facilities, where he was sanctioned multiple times for possessing contraband such as controlled substances and a weapon.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted the case.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti recognized several agencies for their roles in the investigation: "the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; United States Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Lawrence County Drug Task Force; Mercer County Drug Task Force; New Castle Police Department; Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police."
