A 32-year-old Summit County man, Darren Tibbets of Akron, was sentenced on July 20 to a total of 12 years in prison for committing drug offenses while out on parole.
U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent ordered Tibbets to serve 24 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release following a previous drug conviction, and an additional 120 months after he pleaded guilty in December 2025 to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl as well as distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Both sentences will run consecutively.
According to court documents, federal agents began investigating suspected drug trafficking activity in Akron in 2025. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Tibbets as being actively involved in illegal drug trafficking. Investigators seized approximately 21 grams of heroin and fentanyl from him.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brett S. Hammond.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio is the chief federal law enforcement office for its district under the U.S. Department of Justice and enforces federal criminal laws related to national security and public corruption while defending the United States in civil suits; it covers the forty northern counties of Ohio, promotes community safety through outreach efforts with schools and law enforcement agencies, operates within federal law enforcement frameworks, and provides victim services across northern Ohio, according to the official website.