United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OMAHA - Darrin Thimmesch, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Omaha District Office, today announced that Antrell Desharron Lewis, 24, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to over 20 years in prison for his part in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and furanylfentanyl.  In April of 2017, the US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa found Lewis responsible for distributing heroin and furanylfentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, which he was sentenced for today.  “This case illustrates that as a community, we need to realize the deadly threats associated to the use of opioid based narcotics, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thimmesch said.  “These threats are real to every person who comes into contact with them.  Through great collaborative efforts with our state and local partners, we were able to ensure that this individual was successfully prosecuted and sentenced to a lengthy prison term.  The DEA and our state and local partners are committed to doing all within our power to educate and successfully serve and protect our community against those who wish to deal these poisons on our streets.”

Evidence presented at trial displayed how Lewis sold significant amounts of heroin to multiple customers in the Dubuque, Iowa, area in 2015 and 2016.  In March of 2016, four customers of Lewis’, who knew Lewis by the monikers of “Lucky” or Five Star,” drove from Maquoketa, Iowa, to Dubuque to purchase heroin from Lewis.  Lewis and one of his associates sold these men what Lewis represented to be heroin.  These four men drove to an apartment in Dubuque, where two went inside to sell more heroin to other customers, and two remained outside in their car to use the heroin just purchased from Lewis.  The two men who remained outside and used the heroin simultaneously used and overdosed on the purported heroin Lewis sold them.  Emergency responders arrived and saved both of these men’s lives with Narcan, an opiate reversal agent.  However, one of the men inside the apartment used some of this purported heroin after first responders left the area.  That man was found deceased of an overdose approximately 18 hours later. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement (DEA) and Dubuque Drug Task; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Linn County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Norther District of Iowa.