A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
Warren Andre Washington, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 11 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 29, 2022, Washington pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
This investigation began when Boone County, Mo., sheriff’s deputies were involved in a car chase in April 2021 with a stolen Audi A7, but the pursuit was terminated for safety reasons. A few days later, Columbia police officers located the stolen Audi and recovered a Wal-Mart receipt in the vehicle. The receipt led officers to Walmart’s surveillance video which showed Washington driving the stolen vehicle and making a purchase from Walmart.
Investigators placed Washington under surveillance. On April 30, 2021, officers observed Washington conduct two short meetings consistent with drug transactions. When Washington drove to a Columbia restaurant he was arrested. Washington was in possession of Oxycodone tablets and $4,442 in cash. Inside his vehicle, officers found a clear baggie that contained 47.2 grams of fentanyl (a user dose of fentanyl is approximately .1 gram).
Officers also executed a search warrant at Washington’s residence on the same day. Officers found a loaded Glock .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun with a 50-round large capacity rotary style drum magazine, a loaded Romarm/Cugir Micro Draco 7.62x39mm semi-automatic handgun with a 30-round large capacity magazine, and a loaded FN Herstal 5.7x28mm semi-automatic handgun with a 20-round large capacity magazine. The Micro Draco was confirmed stolen. According to court documents, two of the firearms have been connected to prior shooting incidents.
Officers also found keys to the stolen Audi hanging on a hook near the door to the garage.
Washington has prior federal felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of distributing crack cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Kummerer. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
