A Springfield man has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison without parole for fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. Darius Burnett, 27, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark following his guilty plea on May 8, 2025, to charges of possessing with intent to distribute at least 40 grams of a substance containing fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Burnett’s residence on November 8, 2023. During the search, law enforcement found four loaded semi-automatic pistols—two equipped with extended magazines—body armor, ammunition, marijuana, more than 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, and $78,935.80 in cash. In an interview with investigators, Burnett referred to himself as the “top dude” in Springfield for fentanyl sales and admitted purchasing approximately 5,000 pills per month from a supplier in St. Louis. He also confirmed that the seized cash was proceeds from drug sales.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Springfield Police Department.
