Cincinnati man sentenced to 20 years for dealing fentanyl than caused and overdose death

Deonte R. Dickey, 21, of Cincinnati was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months in prison and ordered to pay $7,000 in restitution for funeral costs for distributing heroin and fentanyl that resulted in death.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Paul A. Pride, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac, Amberley Village Police Chief Richard Wallace, Sharonville Police Chief Steve Vanover and members of the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett.

According to court documents, from January 2016 through March 2017, Dickey, also known as “Lil Tay,” “Ching Ching” and “Richie,” distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.

Dickey supplied the heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death of a person on December 31, 2016.

Dickey was indicted by a federal grand jury April 2017 and pleaded guilty in December 2017.

“Dealing fentanyl means dealing death,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “Federal criminal law provides a severe penalty for that crime, and we will continue to investigate overdose deaths and prosecute those responsible until illicit fentanyl dealing stops.”

“Fighting the opioid epidemic continues to be one of DEA’s top priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Plancon. “As families and communities suffer from the tragic loss of drug overdoses, DEA will pursue those individuals that poison our neighborhoods and bring them to justice. The DEA will continue our efforts to partner with our law enforcement counterparts in investigating criminals like Mr. Dickey who distribute dangerous and deadly drug cocktails.”

“This case shows how regionally law enforcement is working cooperatively to hold drug dealers accountable for selling deadly drugs,” said Thomas M. Fallon, Investigative Commander of the Hamilton County Heroin Task Force. “This death occurred in Northern Kentucky, and when their investigators learned the source of supply was in Cincinnati, they contacted our task force who worked with Cincinnati Office of DEA and Cincinnati Police to further their investigation and identify and arrest Deonte Dickey.”

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the federal, state and local law enforcement as well as Assistant United States Attorney Karl P. Kadon.