Dealer pleads guilty to trafficking fentanyl after 2 overdose within days of each other in Gwinnett

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man has pleaded guilty to selling the pills that led to two fentanyl overdoses and deaths.

Devin Duvall Wells, 32, was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, distribution of fentanyl, possession of a schedule II controlled substance with intent to distribute and three counts of illegal use of communication facility in connection with the death of 22-year-old Gannon McDermott.

In a related case, he was convicted of trafficking fentanyl, keeping a vehicle for distributing or dispensing controlled substances, criminal attempt to induce perjury and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

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District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson’s office says McDermott was found dead in his bedroom at a sober living house in Lilburn in November 2023.

Using his phone, investigators learned McDermott bought what he thought were Percocet pills from Wells three times in the week before his death.

They say Wells made between $8,000 and $11,000 each month by selling “Percocet” to people.

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Officers tracked Wells for months before arresting him during a traffic stop. They searched his home and three more cars there where they found guns, ammunition and pills that tested positive for containing fentanyl.

After arresting Wells, they found evidence on his phone that he had sold pills to another woman who had overdosed days before McDermott, Melissa “Missy” Stephens.

Both Stephens and McDermott had enough fentanyl in their systems to kill at least 10 adults, according to toxicology reports.

Wells was sentenced to 40 years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.

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