Allen Man sentenced to 30 years for distribution of Fentanyl after multiple arrests in 2022

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis' office secured a 30-year prison sentence for Denzel Johnson, 30, of Allen, Texas, after a jury found him guilty of Possession with Intent to Deliver More Than 4 Grams, but less than 200 grams of fentanyl.

On December 11, 2022, the McKinney Police Department responded to a disturbance at a gas station. Officers discovered Johnson attempting to leave the parking lot in his vehicle and observed that he appeared to be under the influence of a substance. While speaking with Johnson, officers observed a firearm on the driver's side floor. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed an envelope containing 60 blue pills, which forensic testing later confirmed contained fentanyl and were manufactured to resemble Percocet pills. In addition to the fentanyl and the firearm, Johnson was found to be in possession of over $7,000 in cash.

The penalty phase followed the jury's guilty verdict. The jury heard testimony that the Allen Police Department had arrested Johnson three times in 2022, all related to fentanyl violations. Johnson had been able to bond on these charges shortly after each arrest. One of those incidents involved an October 2022 indictment in which drugs sold by Johnson were linked by investigators to the death of a 27-year-old man. Despite these arrests, Johnson continued to possess significant amounts of fentanyl with intent to sell until his arrest in December. Evidence from Johnson's phone, dating back more than a year, detailed his sale of fentanyl to several people in North Texas.

The jury assessed Johnson's sentence at 30 years in prison.

“Fentanyl dealers are facing death. Johnson did just that in October 2022, and despite the consequences, he didn't stop. Thankfully, law enforcement stepped in and likely saved another life by arresting him again in December. My office will continue to seek stiff prison sentences for anyone who sells fentanyl,” Willis County District Attorney said after the sentencing.

Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ashlyn Scott and Ellie Gonzalez prosecuted the case, with support from District Attorney Investigator Ryan Harvey.