KC Reporter

A Jefferson City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing more than a pound of heroin and fentanyl mixture with the intent to distribute.

Tremaine Davol Bell, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Bell was sentenced as a career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.

On Jan. 18, 2024, Bell pleaded guilty to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

In October 2022, investigators received information that Bell was utilizing a storage unit in Jefferson City to store a large quantity of heroin. Bell was seen leaving the storage facility on the morning of Oct. 31, 2022, driving a Dodge Avenger. A Jefferson City police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop as Bell drove away from the storage facility, but Bell immediately pulled into a gas station parking lot and fled on foot. The officer chased Bell and took him into custody on Christy Drive.

The officer searched Bell and found $1,210 in cash, mostly in $20 bills, in his pocket. A police dog alerted to the driver’s side door of Bell’s car. Officers searched the vehicle and found a marijuana blunt and a Glock 9mm handgun with ammunition.

Officers also searched Bell’s storage unit and found approximately 556.17 grams of a substance that contained heroin, fentanyl, and Tramadol, as well as three additional handguns – two of which were reported stolen – and $29,988 in cash. According to entry and exit logs, Bell accessed the facility multiple times per week and sometimes multiple times per day throughout October 2022.

Bell has three prior felony convictions for distributing a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jefferson City Police Department, the Cole County Sheriff’s Department, and the MUSTANG Drug Task Force.