Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ROANOKE, Va. – A Martinsville, Virginia man, who distributed cocaine that was laced with fentanyl to a pair of individuals that later died from overdoses, was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in federal prison.
Okoyte Devon Gaston, 31, pled guilty in September 2024 to one count of distributing fentanyl.
According to court documents, in February 2023 Gaston, a known drug dealer in Southside Virginia, arranged to sell what was supposed to be one-fourth an ounce of cocaine powder to victim “C.U.” Unbeknownst to C.U., the cocaine was laced with fentanyl.
Gaston met C.U. and her boyfriend, victim “M.A.” and another individual, J.U. in the parking lot of a Sheetz gas station in Franklin County, Virginia. Gaston sold the group what they believed was cocaine for $350.
Shortly after meeting with Gaston C.U., M.A., and J.U. all used some of the drugs they purchased from Gaston. The group then made a short drive back to C.U.’s Franklin County trailer home.
Once there, J.U. said he did not feel well and went inside to go to sleep, leaving C.U. and M.A. alone in the car.
The next morning, J.U. woke up disoriented, nauseous, and incoherent. He found C.U. and M.A. unresponsive. M.A. was still in the passenger seat of the vehicle and C.U. was on the ground outside of the driver’s door.
J.U. called 911 and when police arrived, they pronounced C.U. and M.A. deceased. The medical examiner later determined that both C.U. and M.A. died of acute fentanyl and cocaine toxicity.
Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Virginia State Police, the Roanoke City Police, and the Roanoke County Police.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly McGann and Keith Parrella are prosecuting the case.