Fentanyl dealer sentenced to 32 years in prison

A Pearl man was sentenced to serve 32 years in prison on a 2022 drug charge related to the sale of fentanyl in Madison, District Attorney Bubba Bramlett, announced Tuesday.

“Fentanyl is killing people every single day,” Bramlett said. The vast majority of the people overdosing are teenagers or in their 20a. Law enforcement has prioritized tracking down fentanyl dealers. My office is sending anyone caught with fentanyl to prison.” 

The man, Michael D. Pendelton, pleaded guilty to one count of sale of fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to sell fentanyl, Bramlett said. 

“He was sentenced to serve 32 years in the Mississippi Department of Corrections,” Bramlett said.

On December 28, 2022, narcotics investigators with the Madison Police Department began working with a confidential informant who stated she could buy oxycodone pills from Pendelton, according to Bramlett. 

The informant was given $700 in official law enforcement funds and, using CashApp, sent Pendelton those funds in exchange for him bringing her the pills. 

He sent his girlfriend into the city of Madison to meet the informant and the pills were exchanged.

The Mississippi Crime Lab tested the pills purchased by the confidential informant and confirmed it was fifty fentanyl pills, Bramlett said. 

“I would like to personally thank and recognize the Madison Police Department for their tireless efforts to identify and catch those dealing fentanyl in Madison. Because of them, countless lives have been saved,” Bramlett said.

Bramlett said oxycodone is one of the most common prescription narcotics to be purchased from illegal sources. 

“Please use this as a reminder to talk to your kids,” Brmalett said. “Especially your teenagers, about the dangers of buying pills off the streets and the high overdose risk of fentanyl. The only two outcomes if you are using or selling fentanyl is prison or an overdose.” 

He went on to say, “Many times these pills are actually counterfeit pills containing fentanyl even though they look identical to legitimate oxycodone pills. Just one dose of fentanyl can be fatal.”