DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years (180 months) in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking. According to public court documents, 22-year-old Brian Eugene Harvey, III, also known as “Bino,” was identified by law enforcement as a large-scale fentanyl pill distributor in the Des Moines area. In the fall of 2023, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl pills from Harvey. During one controlled buy, Harvey sold a gun. Law enforcement located over 4,000 fentanyl pills, three firearms, ammunition, and cash in Harvey’s vehicles during search warrants in November 2023.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Harvey will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department.

Authorities say fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.