Duluth man sentenced to more than 13 years in drug trafficking case

Diaunte Jevon Shields, of Duluth, was sentenced to 167 months in prison on Thursday, March 13, for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Shields’ prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

As per court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant on February 19, 2024 at Shields’ Duluth home where officers discovered discovered over a kilogram of fentanyl, a pound of methamphetamine, and hundreds of grams of cocaine. A gun and loaded magazine were also found.

Law enforcement also found another kilogram-plus of cocaine in a FedEx box intended for Shields. Shields had over $33,000 in cash on his person when police arrested him.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office proudly serves all of Minnesota, from our big cities to our small towns,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Defendant Shields trafficked deadly poison to our community in Duluth—and now will be off the streets for well more than a decade.”

Shields had originally plead guilty on August 22, 2024.