BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — A man was sentenced to more than 24 years on Wednesday as part of a plea agreement.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced that Nathan Hunter Whitaker, a 27-year-old resident of Bristol, Tennessee, has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to distributing fentanyl, which led to another person’s death.

Following his guilty plea, Whitaker received a sentence of 292 months in prison. The DOJ confirmed that Whitaker’s sale of fentanyl contributed to a fatal overdose in Sullivan County in early February 2023.

During an East Tennessee drug investigation, authorities discovered that Whitaker had engaged in “several controlled sales of fentanyl-laced fake Roxicodone 20mg pills to a confidential informant” shortly after the overdose, as stated by the DOJ.

On April 1, 2024, officials attempted a traffic stop to arrest Whitaker, who reportedly abandoned his vehicle and fled to a nearby residence. Inside the home, law enforcement made several discoveries.

• “Significant quantity” of fentanyl-laced
• Counterfeit Roxicodone 30mg pills
• $13,754 in cash
• More than 130 firearms, some of which were stolen, including two silencers and a short-barreled rifle

The DOJ said one firearm was reportedly stolen from the Tennessee Valley Authority Police.

Whitaker admitted that he provided fentanyl-laced, counterfeit Roxicodone 30mg

pills to the victim, causing their death, according to the DOJ.

“Arresting and prosecuting criminals like Nathan Whitaker, who prey upon and poison

their communities for profit and fund cartels and international criminal organizations, is a top

priority for our agency,” said Homeland Security Investigations Nashville Special Agent in

Charge Rana Saoud. “This sentence sends a clear message that HSI and our law enforcement

partners in Tennessee are dedicated to preventing the illicit importation, sale and distribution of

fentanyl while bringing those that perpetrate this deadly crime to justice.”

The investigation and subsequent sentencing were the efforts of the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the 2nd DTF, and Johnson City Police Department (JCPD).