Donte Demille Hampton, 38, of Suffolk, Virginia, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison on Tuesday for his role as the leader of a violent drug trafficking organization (DTO) tied to the Gangster Disciples. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reported that Hampton and his co-conspirators were involved in the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana throughout the Hampton Roads area.
Hampton, along with co-defendants Mandi Marie Green, 42, and Antonio Romya Beale, 49, both of Norfolk, used a residence in Norfolk to store and package drugs and firearms. During a search on June 10, 2021, investigators seized 514 grams of methamphetamine, more than 16 pounds of marijuana, THC edibles, firearms, drug money, and packaging materials from the property.
Hampton’s violent leadership also involved ordering assaults on rivals and even on his own employees. One such attack, captured on video, showed Hampton’s associates pistol-whipping and beating an employee over an unpaid drug debt.
On October 17, 2024, Hampton pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed that eight other members of the DTO have already been sentenced, with prison terms ranging from eight to 30 years. The co-conspirators, linked to drug distribution and violent robberies, came from Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk.
