Donte L. Gibson, age 41, and Audrey J. Gibson, age 36, of
Akron were sentenced today for their roles in a conspiracy to bring large
amounts of fentanyl and carfentanil into the United States from China and then
sell the drugs in Akron and Lorain, as well as firearms and money laundering violations.
Donte Gibson was sentenced to 300 months in prison with five years of
supervised release, and Audrey Gibson was sentenced to 130 months in prison
with 3 years of supervised release.
Donte and Audrey Gibson were the last of nine codefendants
sentenced in this matter. All nine defendants were indicted on charges of
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 200 grams of
carfentanil.
“These two defendants were the leaders of a drug trafficking
ring that used illegal weapons and brought large amounts of fentanyl and
carfentanil into our neighborhoods, endangering the lives of so many in our
community,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “Today’s sentencing reaffirms
our commitment to keeping dangerous drugs and weapons off our streets.”
“This case demonstrates the lengths drug dealers will go to
obtain deadly drugs to feed the addiction of their customers,” said FBI Special
Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “This group flaunted their lucrative drug
trafficking organization proceeds by purchasing homes, cars and other items in
an attempt to hide their cash. The FBI
will continue working with our law enforcement partners to help rid our
communities of the individuals that bring poison to our streets.”
"These defendants not only fueled the Opioid drug
problem in Northern Ohio, but they supported addiction in several parts of the
country,” said Bryant Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal
Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “Criminals and criminal organizations
use money laundering as a way to inject their illicit proceeds into our local
economies. The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential
to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs. Without
these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers could not finance their organizations.
Today's sentencings are a direct result of the excellent partnership between
the IRS, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.”
“Fentanyl and carfentanil continue to be the deadliest
illegal drugs that we are up against in the law enforcement community,” said
HSI Special Agent in Charge Vance Callender. “HSI has uniquely built a network
of domestic and international law enforcement partnerships to bring
consequences to criminal enterprises that operate on a global scale to profit
from distributing this lethal poison in our local communities.”
Between May 2016 and February 2018, Mr. and Mrs. Gibson
purchased fentanyl and carfentanil from China over the internet and had the
drugs shipped to various locations in the Akron-Canton area through the U.S.
Postal Service. The Gibsons then directed others to open post office boxes
throughout the area, and used co-conspirators to pick-up the packages. The
Gibsons then distributed the drugs to others for sale in Akron and Lorain.
Previously sentenced on this matter were:
Lori E. Martin,
age 59, of Barberton was sentenced on January 28, 2019 on one count of
conspiracy to commit money laundering to two years of probation.
Dontaysha S.
Gibson, age 23, of Akron was sentenced on January 16, 2019 on one count each of
conspiracy to possess and distribute fentanyl and carfentanil and money
laundering to 15 months in prison.
Derrick A. Adams
II, age 24, of Akron was sentenced on January 24, 2019 on one count each of
conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and
carfentanil and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking
crime to 120 months in prison.
Lisa A,
Richardson, age, 56 of Akron was sentenced on February 28, 2019 on one count
each of conspiracy to possess and distribute fentanyl and carfentanil and
conspiracy to commit money laundering to 51 months in prison.
Ajarae C. Hisle,
age 29, of Lorain was sentenced on February 19, 2019 on one count of conspiracy
to possess and distribute fentanyl and carfentanil to one month in prison and
seven months of home confinement.
Jamar Jackson, age
30, of Lorain was sentenced on February 1, 2019 on one count of conspiracy to
possess and distribute fentanyl and carfentanil to 57 months in prison.
Garret R. Frantz,
age 22, of North Canton was sentenced on January 28, 2019 on one count of
conspiracy to possess and distribute fentanyl and carfentanil to one day in
prison and eight months of home confinement.
Prosecutors were able to secure forfeiture of more than
$250,000 in assets, two firearms, and ammunition seized as part of the
investigation, as well as a home in Akron.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task
Force -- which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection
Service, Internal Revenue Service and the Akron Police Department. The case was
prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett and Danielle Asher.
For more background on this case, click here.
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