A Cincinnati man, Devante Garrett, 30, has been sentenced to 360 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning on Thursday in Covington, Kentucky. Garrett faced charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
Garrett was found guilty after a four-day trial concluded in May 2025. Evidence presented showed he led a conspiracy that distributed more than 275 grams of a substance containing a fentanyl analogue, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and cocaine. He was arrested on October 14, 2023, in Kenton County with the drugs concealed behind the driver’s door panel of his vehicle. Previously, on August 17, 2023, Garrett had been arrested in Boone County while carrying $6,440 in cash and a scale with traces of fentanyl and cocaine.
Testimony during the trial indicated that Garrett and James Waller regularly traveled from Cincinnati to Lexington between May and October 2023 to sell fentanyl and cocaine.
Four others involved in the case pleaded guilty and received sentences ranging from six months to eleven years: James Waller received 132 months; Quintus Jones received 60 months; Kasey Allen received 54 months; Christopher Scull received six months.
Federal law requires Garrett to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for release. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
“Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department; Chief Bill Birkenhauer, Highland Heights Police Department; and Sheriff Michael Helmig, Boone County Sheriff’s Office,” jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was carried out by several agencies including the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), Kentucky State Police (KSP), Covington Police Department, Highland Heights Police Department, and Boone County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Spievack and Tony Bracke prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
