Tyrone Eugene Sitton, also known as “Dirty,” was sentenced on March 20 to 151 months in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Court records and information presented during sentencing reveal that between November and December 2022, Sitton distributed over 30 grams of fentanyl in the Asheville area. Sitton sold the drug on three separate occasions to a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Additionally, on December 28, 2022, Sitton sold the informant a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol as part of an undercover operation, according to the DEA.
Sitton pleaded guilty on July 29, 2024, to three counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 100 times stronger than morphine, remains a leading contributor to the nationwide overdose crisis. The drug is often illicitly manufactured, disguised in counterfeit pills, or mixed with heroin or cocaine. Even small doses of fentanyl can lead to sudden respiratory failure, coma, or death, as highlighted by the DEA’s 2024 Drugs of Abuse resource guide.
The DEA continues to encourage parents and children to educate themselves on the dangers of both legal and illegal drugs through its interactive website.
