By: Richard L. Smith
A Virginia man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal official said Djavon Holland, 37, was found guilty by a federal jury on April 15, 2024, of two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The verdict followed a trial before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court. Judge Robert Kirsch imposed the sentence today during proceedings in Trenton.
The case stems from an investigation launched in August 2021, when law enforcement officials received intelligence suggesting Holland was involved in narcotics trafficking in Virginia and New Jersey.
On August 12, 2021, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, working with a confidential informant, facilitated a meeting between Holland and an undercover source from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Over the course of several transactions, Holland traveled to New Jersey, where he sold fentanyl to the ATF’s confidential source.
In addition to the 180-month prison sentence, Judge Kirsch ordered Holland to serve four years of supervised release.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal and local authorities to combat the distribution of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid contributing to the nation’s overdose crisis.