Fentanyl Dealer’s Product Kills a Man — Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
MIAMI – A South Florida fentanyl dealer whose product killed a man was sentenced this week to 20 years in federal prison for the distribution of a controlled substance.
On April 15, 2021, Donte McCray met with another man at a 7-11 convenience store in Lake Worth, Fla., with the intent of selling the man $100 worth of fentanyl. After the transaction, which was caught on the store’s surveillance camera, the victim returned to his residence at a local recovery and sober living facility. He injected himself with fentanyl later that evening.
The next day, officers from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from the aforementioned recovery and sober living facility in Lake Worth. Responding officers found the victim unresponsive, slumped over the edge of his bed with needle marks in his feet. A hypodermic syringe was found on a bedside table. The syringe was tested by the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office which confirmed the presence of fentanyl. Cause of death was acute fentanyl intoxication.
McCray was discovered when Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office agents accessed the victim’s phone and recovered text messages and CashApp transactions between the victim and McCray. The text messages specifically discussed McCray selling fentanyl to the victim. Additionally, a review of the security camera at the convenience store showed McCray conducting a drug transaction with the victim.
On July 28, 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) West Palm Beach District Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division conducted an undercover operation at a gas station in Lantana, Fla., to buy 58 grams worth of fentanyl for $4,200. The transaction was both audio and video recorded.
On August 3, 2021, the purchased substance from McCray was tested by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Crime Laboratory and was determined to be fentanyl. Soon after, McCray was taken in custody.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA, Miami Field Division, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.
The DEA Miami Field Division West Palm Beach District Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
If you are aware of controlled substance violations in your community, please submit your anonymous tip through the DEA online Tip Line at Submit a Tip | DEA.gov. Concerns about prescription drug abuse or diversion can be reported to the DEA through this link: RX Abuse Online Reporting (usdoj.gov).
The DEA encourages parents, teachers, care givers, guardians, and children to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com , www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com , www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov , and www.dea.gov.
Follow DEA Miami via Twitter at @DEAMIAMIDIV.