Mississippi Man Pled Guilty to Distribution of Fentanyl

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KEVIN DEAN, age 34, a resident of Mississippi, pled guilty on September 10, 2026, to two counts of distribution of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.

DEAN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $1,000,000.00, a 3-year term of supervised release after his term of imprisonment, and a mandatory assessment fee of $100.00. 

U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan will sentence DEAN on December 10, 2026. 

According to court documents, on December 1, 2025, DEAN sold fentanyl to an individual he believed to be a legitimate buyer during a controlled buy that was orchestrated by Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosive (ATF) agents. Later, on December 8, 2025, DEAN again sold fentanyl to an individual he believed to be a legitimate buyer during a controlled buy that was orchestrated by ATF agents. 

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Hubbell, I.V. of the Narcotics Unit. 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

*   *   *