Florida man sentenced to 14 years after pleading guilty to dealing fentanyl, cocaine

FLORIDA – A Florida career offender has been sentenced to federal prison for dealing fentanyl and cocaine.

Demetrius Haynes, 37, of Tampa, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday to 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

Because of Haynes’s lengthy criminal history, he was designated a Career Offender for purposes of sentencing. The court also ordered Haynes to forfeit $6,000 received from the sale of a Nissan Maxima, which reportedly had been used by Haynes to facilitate the drug trafficking conspiracy.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had previously administratively forfeited approximately $46,161 that was traceable proceeds of the charged offenses, a Jimenez Arms pistol, and 34 rounds of ammunition.

Haynes pleaded guilty on August 29, 2022.

According to court documents, in January 2021, state and federal law enforcement began an investigation targeting fentanyl distribution in the Tampa area. During that investigation, agents identified Haynes as one of those distributors.

As part of the investigation, law enforcement reportedly engaged in multiple undercover narcotics transactions with Haynes, where they said they purchased fentanyl and cocaine from him. They reported that they made purchases of fentanyl and cocaine directly from Haynes on two occasions in January 2021 and four occasions in February 2021.

On February 12, 2021, ATF agents, assisted by the Tampa Police Department, executed a search warrant at Haynes’s residence. During the search, agents said they seized additional amounts of cocaine and fentanyl, a safe that contained approximately $34,000, a Jimenez Arms .380 caliber firearm, currency totaling approximately $6,850, approximately 30 rounds of ammunition, and an extended magazine.

ATF and the Tampa Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Shauna S. Hale prosecuted it.