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Norfolk man pleads guilty to shipping fentanyl, trying to bribe Homeland Security agent

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Posted at 1:15 PM, Aug 26, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-26 15:27:05-04

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. – Donatarius Leshay Boone is waiting to be sentenced for drug and bribery charges to which he recently pleaded guilty in federal court.

Court records stated that between October 2019 and April 2021, Boone worked to bring fentanyl into the Hampton Roads region by mail.

Prosecutors stated in documents that the primary purpose of the conspiracy was to make money.

Documents said the packages contained pressed pills that arrived in the mail; they added that Boone would then disperse them to at least three co-conspirators for further distribution and profit, then would wire payments using various false names.

On two different incidents, law enforcement said they discovered packages being sent to a business located in the 13000 block of Windsor Blvd. in Windsor and another package being sent to a post office box located in the 3500 block of Bridge Rd. in Suffolk. They said in both situations, there were about 2,000 fentanyl pills inside.

The first package was discovered on February 25, 2021, and the second on March 11, 2021. Documents said he attempted to flee law enforcement but was ultimately arrested.

Boone admitted he had been selling "pills" for approximately 16 months, and court documents went on to say he told investigators he received about four packages a month. He further admitted that he received between 2,000 and 4,000 pills in each package.

On March 26, 2021, Boone contacted a Homeland Security Investigations special agent and told him he wanted to form a partnership, records said. Boone stated that “he would be willing to pay cash to the Agent in exchange for the Agent using his official position to ensure that Boone was not charged with federal crimes and to ensure that Boone would be able to keep his lines of drug supply and distribution open.”

Boone brought the agent $20,000 but instead was arrested for trying to bribe a public official.

Boone is expected to be sentenced soon.

His attorney said they have no comment about the case.