Cleveland Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possession with Intent to Distribute Narcotics and Illegal Possession of Firearms

CLEVELAND - U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced that David Powell, 67, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on October 5, 2021, detectives executed multiple search warrants on residences associated with Powell, where they uncovered several kilograms of narcotics and firearms. Powell was incarcerated for a parole violation before returning to the community. Then on October 25, 2022, detectives executed another search warrant on Powell’s residence which resulted in the seizure of three kilograms of narcotics and a firearm. Powell has prior felony convictions, including a 1980 murder conviction in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, which prohibited him from possession of a firearm.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Southeast Area Law Enforcement Narcotics Task Force and the FBI. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian.