A Dallas man’s fate was sealed with a 20-year prison sentence after admitting to a fentanyl distribution scheme involving over 142,000 counterfeit pills. Terrill Antwan Ray, convicted for a sprawling drug operation across North Texas, was sentenced Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey, who highlighted the “staggering” quantity of drugs linked to Ray’s case, according to a U.S. Department of Justice.

During 2019 raids, authorities discovered more than 28,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills in Ray’s apartment and over 114,000 more in affiliate dwellings. These pills, designed to mimic hydrocodone and oxycodone, tipped the scales at a combination of over 54 kilograms. Seized along with the drugs were a sophisticated foil-capping machine, plastic pill bottles, a cache of cash amounting to more than $11,000, and two firearms. Ray entered a guilty plea in April 2023, following agreements laid out in plea papers obtained by the press.

Court documents detailed incriminating text exchanges between Ray and a drug distributor discussing debts and employing code words, such as “school buses,” “blues,” and “dros” for different narcotics. The sentencing is part of the broader strategy by the DEA’s Dallas Division and partnering authorities to aggressively target and dismantle illicit drug operations in the region.

Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Dallas, Eduardo A. Chávez, stated, “Today’s sentencing of Terrill Ray exemplifies the commitment of DEA Dallas and our numerous law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue to distribution of those who illicit fentanyl.” He further emphasized the significance of keeping such “poison” away from the community and underscored the DEA’s dedication to aiding families affected by substance abuse, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.