By Amanda Lubinski
ALubinski@cherryroad.com

An Olathe, Kansas man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, which resulted in an overdose death.

Jacob A. Block, 27, is to serve 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Block to forfeit $10,000 to the government, proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.

“On Feb. 1, 2024, Block pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to one count of distributing fentanyl. Block admitted that he delivered 10 M-30 pills containing fentanyl to a confidential informant. Block possessed an additional 150 to 300 M-30 pills containing fentanyl at the time of this transaction. Block also admitted he sold a co-defendant approximately seven grams of powder fentanyl and 50 M-30 pills containing fentanyl five to seven days a week, for six or seven months,” reads a release from the Teresa Moore’s office, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

Block is one of 13 defendants in the case and all pleaded guilty. Block is the ninth defendant to be sentenced.

“Co-defendant Dmitry Cattell, 25, of Kansas City, was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to 21 years in federal prison without parole for leading the drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing a firearm. Evidence was presented at Cattell’s sentencing hearing related to the delivery of fentanyl, the use of which caused the death of another person on May 18, 2020. The victim of the fatal overdose is not identified in court documents,” reads the statement from Moore’s office.

This case was investigated by the FBI and a multitude of Kansas City area law enforcement agencies including Kansas City Police Department, Kearney Police Department and Clay County Sheriff’s Office.