Police arrested a man they say is the source of the deadly drug fentanyl flowing through Carrollton, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Authorities arrested 18-year-old Stephen Paul Brinson in Flower Mound on Wednesday, March 8, and charged him with conspiracy to distribute a schedule II controlled substance, according to a release.
A criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges Brinson acted as the source of supply for fentanyl to Donovan Jude Andrews.
Andrews is the Carrollton dealer who allegedly advertised the sale of M/30 pills for $10 each on Instagram, trying to capitalize on the arrests of two other drug traffickers, Luis Navarrete and Magaly Cano.
At least one juvenile fentanyl overdose is allegedly tied to Andrews, and 10 others are allegedly linked to Navarrete and Cano, according to the release.
Authorities identified Brinson after law enforcement found Andrews and the juvenile that allegedly drove Andrews around in exchange for pills.
According to the release, the juvenile driver was identified in court as “DC” and a Hebron High School student.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) searched the juvenile’s phone and found text messages to an Instagram user named “superstarxs,” who agents later identified as Brinson.
In the texts, Brinson was identified as a “plug,” and a few days later, another individual who called Brinson “Steve-O,” identified Brinson as the “main plug” for fentanyl.
“The latest arrest of Mr. Brinson shows that our determination to reduce the threat of illicit fentanyl and save lives will not stop,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division, in a statement.
“Let me be clear to those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners, such as Carrollton PD, will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our families and community depend on it.”
Prior to Brinson’s arrest, agents observed him loading a large bag into his vehicle, and they then followed him to a nearby parking lot.
There, officers took Brinson into custody and searched his vehicle. They found an FN 5.7 pistol, commonly referred to as a “cop killer,” and an AR-15 rifle. Officers also found a small baggy with an M/30 pill inside.
Law enforcement also searched Brinson’s house in Flower Mound on March 8 and found his 19-year-old girlfriend under the influence of fentanyl. She told officers that Brinson had two safes, which officers found during the search.
In one of the safes, officers found over 1,000 blue counterfeit M/30 pills that field tested positive for fentanyl in multiple bags.
Police also located a scale containing drug residue on it, multiple small baggies used for repackaging sales, and large sums of cash.
While in the Carrollton jail for processing, Brinson began kicking his cell door and shouting. According to police, Brinson insisted he was “minding his own [expletive] business in my white-[expletive] house in Flower Mound.”
Brinson’s upcoming legal battle will have significant consequences for his life.
If convicted, Brinson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. At 18 years old, Brinson would get out of prison at 38.
Although Brinson’s arrest occurred in the vicinity of Flower Mound, crime continues to be a problem in the DFW area. Arrests for drug offenses have increased by nearly 9%, according to arrests statistics from the Dallas Police Department.