United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to distribute heroin.

Dawuan White, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 20 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 26, 2022, White pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin from Feb. 1, 2017, to Feb. 15, 2018. White admitted that he sold heroin to a confidential law enforcement source on three occasions in December 2017 and January 2018.

A Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer contacted White, who was on foot near the intersection of Grant Avenue and Norton Road, on Feb. 15, 2018. White immediately began running. During the pursuit, the officer saw White throw two plastic bags. The officer caught up to White and arrested him, then located the two plastic bags, which contained 35.8 grams of heroin. The officer also searched a residence that investigators had determined to be a stash house for White, and found a plastic bag that contained 15.2 grams of heroin as well as drug paraphernalia.

White was on state parole for a drug-trafficking conviction during this federal investigation into his drug-trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, White provided heroin to his co-defendants to distribute. White is the sixth and final defendant to be sentenced in this case.

This case was investigated by DEA and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.