California Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

Jackson, Miss. – Donte Ramon Nelson, 41, of Compton, California, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  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.

This OCDETF case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal narcotics distribution in central Mississippi that involved the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine from California using the United States Postal Service.  It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Madison County Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Wansley and Keesha Middleton.