SAN ANTONIO – A man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges related to trafficking nearly 10,000 fentanyl pills and possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug crime.
Tyrell Ezekiel Darden, 25, of San Antonio was a previously convicted felon and had two active felony arrest warrants when law enforcement tracked him down back in July 2023.
Darden was found attempting to flush dozens of blue pills down a toilet. Officers discovered he was in possession of more than 9,800 fentanyl pills. The pills were shaped to look like Oxycodone and bore the “M30” stamp commonly associated with that drug.
Investigators also found multiple firearms, including several that had been stolen, along with $4,703 in U.S. currency and high-value items like jewelry in the residence.
Darden was indicted on November 1, 2023, on one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. He pleaded guilty to both charges on June 18, 2025.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Alamo Heights Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock.
