San Antonio Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun Crime

The punishment follows a guilty plea after agents found nearly 10,000 counterfeit 'M30' fentanyl pills with firearms present.

Overview

U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez imposed 20 years for the fentanyl charge plus a consecutive five-year term for the firearm offense, totaling 25 years.
Tyrell Ezekiel Darden, 25, pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025, after his November 2023 indictment on drug and firearm counts.
Law enforcement serving felony warrants in July 2023 saw Darden trying to flush pills as they recovered more than 9,800 M30-stamped tablets made to look like Oxycodone.
Officers found multiple firearms in the residence, several identified as stolen, along with $4,703 in cash and high-value jewelry.
The DEA and Alamo Heights Police investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock and announced by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons.