Fentanyl Trafficker From Sterling Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison

STERLING, VA — A Sterling man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison on Friday after he pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The man, 39-year-old Salahudin Mitchell, pleaded guilty in March to distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl. His sentence will last 162 months, a judge decided.

Prosecutors claimed that Mitchell distributed fentanyl in the Petersburg area from late 2020 until his arrest in Nov. 2021. Law enforcement officials said they monitored Mitchell in 2021 and he sold fentanyl on nine different occasions, according to court records.

In Nov. 2021, police arrested Mitchell and obtained a warrant to search his home. Officers claimed they found "a distribution quantity" of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Authorities said they also found cash and scales.

In a news release announcing Mitchell's sentence, the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Virginia said that Mitchell was responsible for distributing approximately 270 grams of fentanyl and 2 kilograms of heroin during the year before his arrest.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a 24/7 hotline for people struggling with addiction and drug abuse at 1-800-662-4357.