Grand Rapids Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Federal Prison For Distributing Fentanyl That Resulted In A User’s Death

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney sentenced Tommy Terrell Mims, 52, of Grand Rapids, to 240 months in prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Kent County man, H.C., in August 2020. When Mims is released from prison, he will be on supervised release for 25 years.                   

          “Fentanyl is deadly and continues to devastate our families and communities. This drug is so dangerous that even a trace amount can leave a user dead within minutes,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “Mr. Mims will now serve two decades in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting these cases to ensure that drug dealers who peddle this poison and cause death are brought to justice.”

          On August 8, 2020, officers with the Grand Rapids Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a 911 call reporting that H.C. was unconscious and not breathing. Investigators learned that the 911 caller and H.C. purchased and used “heroin” sold by Mims the night before. The “heroin” Mims sold was actually fentanyl. The 911 caller survived, but ultimately H.C. died from fentanyl toxicity. Mims pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in the death of H.C. pursuant to a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on February 10, 2023.

          “The lengthy sentence imposed on Mr. Mims reflects the seriousness of the charge to which he pled guilty,” said Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge of Detroit Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Mims actively contributed to the drug poisoning and overdose epidemic ravaging our communities and our country. This sentence should serve as a warning to those who distribute deadly drugs and place personal gain over human lives, that you will be held accountable, and the consequences of your actions will be severe.”

          “The Grand Rapids Police Department Vice Unit continues to work diligently with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA to investigate and prosecute anyone distributing fentanyl in the greater Grand Rapids area,” said Lieutenant Jon Wu of the Grand Rapids Police Department Vice Unit. “This investigation and sentence illustrate the seriousness of the threat of fentanyl to the community.“    

          The Grand Rapids Police Department Vice Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan McGraw.

###