TYLER, Texas — A Mount Pleasant man has been found guilty of federal drug trafficking charges related to the distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death and serious bodily injury, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
A federal jury convicted Jaquavion Markeith Veasley, 36, on five counts of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury. The verdict was returned on February 4, 2026, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle.
Court records show that beginning in 2023, Veasley conspired with others to distribute narcotics containing fentanyl. Prosecutors said the drugs led to the deaths of at least two individuals.
“The law designates illicit fentanyl as a narcotic, but illicit fentanyl is also a weapon of mass destruction,” Combs said. “Veasley’s greed turned the fentanyl he sold into a deadly weapon that destroyed lives and devastated families.”
ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner emphasized that the conviction highlights the violent consequences of drug trafficking, noting that fentanyl distribution fuels addiction, crime, and community harm.
Mount Pleasant Police Chief Mark Buhman praised the joint investigative efforts, thanking federal and state partners for their role in holding Veasley accountable.
Veasley now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and could receive life in federal prison. His sentence will be determined after a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office, with a sentencing hearing to be scheduled.
The case was prosecuted as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Mount Pleasant Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucas Machicek and Emil Mikkelsen.
