Source: Office of United States Attorneys
EVANSVILLE – Arcinial Montreal Watt, 36, and Jazmynn Alaina Brown, 27, both of Evansville, have been sentenced for their roles in a fentanyl dealing operation that resulted in the death of a three-year-old girl.
Watt has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. Watt has also been ordered to pay $6,007 in restitution.
Brown has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and evidence presented during Brown’s sentencing hearing, between August and October of 2021, Watt obtained at least 400 grams of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and stored them in a bedroom he shared with his girlfriend, Jazmynn Brown. Brown sub-leased the room in a shared residence on East Sycamore Street in Evansville, where she lived with two other women and their four children—ages 4, 3, 18 months, and 2 months. Pills were sold and divided for sale by Brown inside the residence.
On October 26, 2021, the three older children accessed the bedroom where the pills were stored and removed a plastic bag containing fentanyl pills prepared for sale. The pills spilled, exposing the children to direct contact. Although Brown recovered some of the pills, several remained unaccounted for.
The three-year-old girl who came into contact with the pills was pronounced dead the following morning as a result of fentanyl poising. The 18-month-old girl was taken to the hospital, where she was placed on a NARCAN drip and survived her fentanyl poisoning.
During the investigation, agents seized over 5,750 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills marked M30, more than $25,000 in cash, and a firearm. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. One kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.
“This heartbreaking case underscores the devastating consequences of fentanyl trafficking—not just for those who use these drugs, but for innocent children caught in the crossfire,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The loss of a young life is a tragedy that no family should endure, and those who recklessly endanger others by distributing these deadly substances must be held fully accountable. We remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting our communities and pursuing justice for the most vulnerable among us.”
“The sentencings of Mr. Watt and Ms. Brown are righteous. This case is a heartbreaking example of individuals who recklessly stored Thousands of illicit fentanyl pills in their residence, leading to the tragic poisoning death of one child and the overdose of another. The victims in this case were innocent children. The DEA, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains committed to keeping our communities safe and holding drug traffickers fully accountable,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Michael Gannon.
The Evansville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crime Task Force also provided invaluable assistance. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy Kemper, Lauren Wheatley, and Todd S. Shellenbarger, as well as former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Kristian R. Mukoski, who prosecuted this case.
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