FARGO – A Detroit, Michigan, man has been sentenced in federal court in Fargo for his leadership role in a drug trafficking organization targeting two Native American reservations in North Dakota.

Devonsha Dabney, also known as Kemell, 29, appeared before Chief Judge Peter Welte on Tuesday in Fargo for his sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to continuing criminal enterprise. Welte sentenced Dabney to 180 months in federal prison, with four years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.

The case against Dabney was a part of “Operation Letter to Reub,” a task force investigation into the multi-state trafficking of oxycodone and fentanyl-laced pills linked to the 5674 Reub Gang operating out of Michigan. A total of 41 defendants were charged in this case with transporting thousands of oxycodone/fentanyl pills for distribution in Bismarck, Minot, and Fort Berthold and Spirit Lake Reservations.

“Drug traffickers who think Indian Country is a soft target because of a perceived lack of law enforcement resources ought to think again,” said U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider. “This sentence shows that if you prey on tribal communities, you will be doggedly pursued by federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and you will face justice as a defendant in federal court. The success in this case is a product of the determination of our career prosecutors and the cooperative, multiagency approach taken by our law enforcement partners.”

The multi-agency investigation led by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement revealed that Dabney and his co-conspirators targeted areas with fewer law enforcement resources where they could distribute controlled substances at a premium price. Dabney was identified as taking over the pill operations in North Dakota for the organization approximately in 2017. He recruited individuals from the Detroit area as well as local users to distribute pills for him and oversaw their activities.

“We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Justice and all other agencies. This includes our own MHA Division of Drug Enforcement, who also played a role in this investigation leading to the arrests of these individuals,” said Mark Fox, chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation on the Fort Berthold Reservation. “We will continue to fight against illegal drug traffickers that are entering our boundaries and are extremely dangerous to our people.”

“Today as tribal and state citizens of North Dakota, we at Spirit Lake Tribe are grateful for the determined work by all agencies to combat the dangers of drug trafficking and abuse in our communities,” said Lona Street, chairwoman of the Spirit Lake Nation. “This is a result of excellent teamwork displayed by all local, state, and federal agencies.”