Local narcotics supplier gets hefty sentence

HOUSTON –  A 21-year-old Houston resident has been handed a significant sentence for his role in a poly-drug distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.   

Dhevani Mitchell pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Mitchell to 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Mitchell’s conduct had destroyed lives and families and was a threat to the community. The court also found Mitchell continued to deal drugs and “do harm” after having multiple chances and would continue to do so if given the opportunity.    

At the time of his plea, Mitchell admitted to supplying large quantities of meth, cocaine and fentanyl from his residence in February and March 2021.

During a search of the residence March 31, 2021, authorities seized a total of approximately 10.9 kilograms of meth, 1.267 kilograms of China white heroin/gray death heroin, 260 grams suspected fentanyl, large quantities of various pressed pills and five firearms. While securing the location, they found Mitchell in a back bedroom along with a black Stoeger Cougar 9-millimeter handgun under a pillow next to him. They also discovered a Remington 5501 .22 caliber rifle and ammunition.

Mitchell will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative with the assistance of Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. These such cooperative matters provide for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.