(Washington State) U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced that on November 19, 2024, United States District Judge Edward F. Shea sentenced Dwight Norwood, Jr., age 27, of Kennewick, Washington, to 84 months in federal prison on fentanyl distribution charges. Judge Shea also imposed 5 years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in November 2021, members of the Safe Streets Task Force developed information that Norwood was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills in Eastern Washington. Investigators also learned that Norwood lived and sold drugs out of a fifth wheeler in Benton City, Washington.
Early on the morning of February 24, 2022, Norwood’s girlfriend called Benton County Sheriff’s Office and told deputies that Norwood had given her a black eye, was chasing her in a blue Mustang, and was trying to shoot her. A short time later deputies spotted Norwood driving the Mustang near a gas station in Benton City. Deputies activated their emergency lights and attempted to arrest Norwood, but he took off running.
Deputies used a K-9 to track Norwood, located him hiding near his trailer in Benton City, and arrested him. Deputies obtained a search warrant for the Mustang. Inside, deputies found a fully loaded .45 caliber pistol, over 800 hundred fentanyl laced pills, and two additional cell phones. Norwood’s DNA was later confirmed to be on the firearm; Norwood is a confirmed felon.
Agents also obtained a search warrant for Norwood’s trailer. Inside, they located a drug scale with residue, additional fentanyl-laced pills, drug ledgers, and several cell phones.
“Illicit fentanyl has a devastating impact on our community, including a close nexus with violent crime and poisoning deaths. Mr. Norwood was distributing a significant amount of these poison pills in the Tri-Cities region,” stated United States Attorney Waldref. “My office will continue to fight the fentanyl epidemic by working closely with our law enforcement partners to target those who contribute to this deadly crisis.”
“This was not Mr. Norwood’s first run in with the law” said Gregory L. Austin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “His decision to distribute Fentanyl is now landing him in federal prison. Combating the scourge of this deadly drug, which devastates communities across our country, is a priority for the FBI and our partners.”
This case was investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI’s Southeast Washington Safe Streets Task Force, which includes additional officers and detectives from the Kennewick Police Department, Pasco Police Department, Richland Police Department, Border Patrol and Department of Corrections. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Van Marter.