A Kansas City man will spend the next 15 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution ring that caused the death of at least three individuals.
The U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri announced on Wednesday,
Oct. 30, that Luis Manuel Morales, 24, of Kansas City, has been sentenced to 15
years in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Morales’ actions resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
Court
documents indicated that Morales pleaded guilty in May to a single count of
conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and a single count of conspiracy to commit
money laundering.
Law
enforcement officials noted that Morales admitted he had supplied fentanyl
pills to Tiger Dean Draggoo, 24, of Kansas City. Occasionally, Draggoo would
supply pills for Morales as well. Morales introduced Draggoo to additional
sources of fentanyl.
Court
records revealed that Morales sold more than, 1,700 pills to Draggoo over 15
separate transactions between January and October 2022. He was paid more than
$2,320 through Cash App and an additional undisclosed amount in cash. Morales
also bought at least 100 pills from Draggoo during this time for $750. In
total, judicial officials said 1,864 pills that contained 205 grams of fentanyl
were passed between the pair. Morales and Draggoo conspired to conceal and
disguise these payments through Cash App under labels like rent, food, clothes
and more.
Law
enforcement officials also indicated that Morales had been on probation
following a guilty plea to attempted robbery. He is the first defendant to be
sentenced in this case. Draggoo pleaded guilty to his crimes earlier in
October. Five other defendants have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing. No
further information on those cases has been released.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.
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