A former Youngstown, Ohio resident has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a Western Pennsylvania resident and for conspiring to distribute large amounts of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Eliot Gentry, 28. Gentry had previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl resulting in death in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, on January 23, 2022. He also admitted to conspiring to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of fluorofentanyl, and five kilograms of cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. In addition to his prison term, Gentry will serve five years of supervised release.
Information presented during the case showed that Gentry had prior convictions and state prison sentences for violent crimes and drug trafficking. He led a multi-state drug trafficking operation throughout much of 2021 and 2022 involving significant quantities of narcotics in Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania as well as Youngstown, Ohio. The scheme included trafficking fentanyl that directly caused a fatal overdose in Western Pennsylvania.
Gentry used dealers—including juveniles—to run traphouses he set up in Mercer County. These locations were supplied with drugs and firearms intended for intimidating rivals or enforcing payments.
Even after being incarcerated briefly in 2022, Gentry continued his drug operations. He also engaged in further criminal activity after his federal indictment while detained pending trial and sentencing. Authorities repeatedly sanctioned him for possessing contraband such as controlled substances and a weapon while held at local detention facilities.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted the case.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti praised the efforts of multiple agencies involved in the investigation: “the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; United States Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Lawrence County Drug Task Force; Mercer County Drug Task Force; New Castle Police Department; Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police.”
