CLEVELAND — A 34-year-old Cleveland man will spend at least 20 years in prison after being found guilty of distributing drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, that resulted in a victim's death.
Following a four-day trial, U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced on Friday that Willie A. Pratt was found guilty of one count of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death, one count of conspiring to possess fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and two counts of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge John R. Adams presided over the trial.
Court documents and trial testimony allege that Pratt that on Oct. 30, 2021, Pratt sold cocaine and fentanyl to the victim who died as a result of the use of those substances. Additionally, on November 1, 2021, Pratt was accused of engaging in "conspiracy or agreement with another person to distribute controlled substances, specifically, fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin" and aiding and abetting the possession of such substances with the intent to distribute them.
Upon being arrested on November 1, 2021, Pratt allegedly possessed cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
Pratt will be sentenced on November 21, 2023, and faces a minimum of 20 years in prison. A release noted that the totality of his sentence will be "determined by many factors and may be higher than the mandatory minimum" and that "the judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other factors."
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Payum Doroodian and Yasmine Makridis prosecuted the case against Pratt.