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A 43-year-old Detroit man who was found guilty of drug trafficking and linked to three overdoses of fentanyl-laced crack cocaine, two which resulted in death, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 23 years in prison.
Melvin Lamar Triplett was convicted in September of drug conspiracy and delivering drugs causing death and serious bodily injury.
Evidence at trial showed that Triplett was the leader of a drug trafficking operation that sold fentanyl-laced crack cocaine, which resulted in some overdoses, a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
"Our office will vigorously pursue drug traffickers who push dangerous drugs like fentanyl and
crack cocaine into our communities with indifference to the tragedy it inflicts," said Detroit Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck.
"Two people lost their lives due to Mr. Triplett’s criminal activity and sentencing is a testament to the hard work DEA and our outstanding law enforcement partners put into this investigation," DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Office, Andrew Lawton.
