Drug Dealer Gets Life For Ordering Body Of Overdose Victim Dumped

TAMPA, FL — A U.S. district judge has sentenced a 28-year-old Pasco County man to life in prison for dealing drugs and orchestrating the dumping of a body of a drug overdose victim.

According to testimony and evidence presented at his trial in April, Justin Case Lebarron and his girlfriend, co-defendant Brittney Michelle Smith, operated a drug house in New Port Richey where they sold fentanyl and methamphetamine. They also allowed addicts to use narcotics and sleep there.

On the night of Jan. 7, 2020, one of the drug addicts staying at the house overdosed and died. According to court records, Lebarron ordered three people to carry the victim’s body outside and dump it in an empty lot.

A few hours later, Lebarron resumed distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

He was arrested on March 5, 2020, and found guilty on April 22.

This week, U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber sentenced him to life in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in a death, distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in a death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.

On June 16, Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in a death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in a death, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.

She faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, up to life in federal prison for each conspiracy and possession count and up to 20 years in federal prison for maintaining a drug-involved premises. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9.

“As a result of the hard work and efforts made together with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, a dangerous drug dealer has been removed from the Tampa area and a life sentence ensures he can no longer endanger people’s lives.” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Donald P. Garrett. “We will continue to work hard with our law enforcement partners to rid communities of drug traffickers who threaten the safety and well-being of Floridians.”

“The Pasco Sheriff's Office is thankful for our strong partnership with the Department of Justice, which resulted in taking these predators off of Pasco County’s streets,” said Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco. “We know there is a delineation between those who suffer from substance abuse and addiction and those who prey on those individuals for their own monetary gain. We are committed to holding these predators responsible for the harm and destruction they cause on those suffering from substance abuse and addiction, their families and our community while connecting those suffering from substance abuse and addiction with resources available in our community.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa District Office and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation.