Dallas man convicted after 17k fentanyl pills seized
DALLAS - A federal jury has convicted a Dallas man of conspiring to distribute fentanyl following a three-day trial that highlighted the seizure of more than 17,000 illicit pills in a single week, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Fentanyl conviction
What we know:
Joshua Burton, 30, was found guilty on Friday of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl within the Northern District of Texas, according to U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. The jury deliberated for roughly five hours before returning the guilty verdict.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that law enforcement intercepted approximately 17,000 fentanyl pills from Burton over a one-week span. Prosecutors also introduced phone records demonstrating a three-year history of narcotics distribution across the Dallas area.
What they're saying:
"This verdict should send a clear message to drug dealers that we will dismantle any effort to peddle deadly fentanyl in our community," Raybould said in a statement, crediting local and federal agencies with removing the pills from city streets.
What's next:
Burton faces up to life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade, who presided over the trial, scheduled sentencing for Oct. 7.
The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas.