Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis’s 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, 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 to Johnson, officers noticed a firearm on the driver's side floorboard. 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 firearm, Johnson was found carrying over $7,000 in cash.
The punishment 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 offenses. Johnson had managed to post bond on these charges shortly after each arrest. One of these incidents involved an October 2022 charge, where drugs sold by Johnson were linked by investigators to the death of a 27-year-old individual. Despite these arrests, Johnson continued to possess significant amounts of fentanyl with the intent to sell until his December arrest. Evidence from Johnson’s phone, dating back over a year, detailed his sale of fentanyl to several people in North Texas.
The jury assessed Johnson’s punishment at 30 years in prison.
“Fentanyl dealers are dealing death. Johnson did 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 keep pushing for tough prison sentences for anyone selling fentanyl,” said District Attorney Willis after the sentencing.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Ashlyn Scott and Ellie Gonzalez prosecuted the case, with support from District Attorney Investigator Ryan Harvey.
