SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Two Sioux Falls men have been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Hermon Mehari Gebre, 19, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Nathan John Barnhart, 24, received nearly three years.
Barnhart obtained fentanyl pills from a co-conspirator and distributed them in the Sioux Falls area. After authorities conducted a search warrant at Barnhart’s residence, they found around 43 grams of pills containing fentanyl. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, just two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly. Investigators later determined that Barnhart had distributed around 2,700 fentanyl pills locally.
Gebre, meanwhile, conspired with others to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl pills in South Dakota. Gebre obtained the pills from a source on multiple occasions and sold them in the area. In one instance, Gebre unknowingly sold 76 pills to a law enforcement informant.
As Emily’s Hope has previously reported, overdose deaths in Sioux Falls have surged, with Police Chief Jon Thum stating that fatalities have increased by 70% in the past year. In the last 18 months, Minnehaha and Lincoln County Sheriff’s offices have recorded more than 44 overdose deaths, primarily linked to fentanyl and methamphetamine.