Detroit Man Sentenced For Distributing Fentanyl In Beckley, West Virginia
Saturday, November 15, 2025, 12:00 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
BECKLEY, W.VA.- Yesterday, a 32-year-old Detroit, Michigan, man and local Beckley, West Virginia, drug dealer learned he will be spending over three years in federal prison, after being sentenced for selling deadly fentanyl to a confidential informant in September of 2023, in Beckley, West Virginia.
According to U.S. Attorney Moore Capito, on Friday, November 14, 2025, Daviontae Lately, also known as “Dave,” 32, of Detroit, Michigan, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank W. Volk to 40 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Fentanyl.
According To Court Documents
According to documents and statements made in the U.S. District Court, on September 7, 2023, during a narcotics investigation, Lately sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a Beckley, West Virginia, residence where he was staying. During his plea allocution, Lately admitted to selling the fentanyl to the informant, and further admitted to selling an additional quantity to the same confidential informant on September 8, 2023. Both transactions were conducted as controlled buys under the observation of law enforcement Investigatiors.
On September 12, 2023, following the controlled buys, Investigators obtained and executed a court-authorized warrant at the Beckley residence where Lately was staying.
During the search, Investigators uncovered and seized additional quantities of fentanyl, an amount of crack cocaine, and $9,360 in cash, including the $1,400 from the controlled buys involving the confidential informant.
Lately, further admitted to the court to possessing the seized fentanyl and the crack cocaine, and that he intended to distribute the substances. He also admitted that the cash seized was proceeds from the sale of illicit narcotics. Lately has a prior criminal history, which includes assaulting, resisting, or obstructing a police officer, armed robbery, and a weapons offence.
U.S. Attorney Capito commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit and the Beckley Police Department, which led to the successful prosecution of Lately.
