Clearwater Man Sentenced To 20 Years’ Imprisonment For Role In Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Dennis Jackson (36, Clearwater), a/k/a “Miami,” to 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Jackson pleaded guilty on November 30, 2022.

According to court documents, Jackson was a distributor of fentanyl. On the night of April 1, 2020, first responders found M.B. dead from an apparent overdose at a residence in Clearwater. Evidence of opioid use was found near the body and the autopsy and toxicology results confirmed that there was a lethal level of fentanyl in M.B.’s body. Eyewitness information identified Jackson as the supplier. Two days later, Jackson appeared for a voluntary interview at the Clearwater Police Department. During that interview, Jackson admitted to his involvement in the overdose.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clearwater Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.