Shelvin Jovan Barnes, a 33-year-old Washington D.C. resident, was handed a 36-month sentence in federal prison for charges related to designer drug distribution. The sentencing, which took place in U.S. District Court, stems from Barnes' guilty plea on December 6, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute ADB-BUTINACA and attempted possession with intent to distribute N, N-dimethylpentylone — known on the street as "Boot" — along with an unlawful possession of a firearm, following an intrafamily offense. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of Homeland Security Investigations, Washington Division announced the sentencing.
In a broader investigation targeting narcotics and precursor chemical shipments from China, Barnes became ensnared when Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) intercepted a package on May 8, 2024, addressed to a residence on L Street, Southeast. Reports obtained by justice.gov state that the package, containing 122 grams of "Boot," was seized. To trap Barnes, law enforcement substituted the narcotic with a sham substance before delivering it to his residence. Upon receipt by Barnes, a search warrant executed by officers led to the recovery of bags filled with synthetic drugs and a loaded 9mm pistol.
Law enforcement's search of Barnes' residence unearthed a plethora of items often linked to drug manufacturing. According to the same justice.gov report, agents found industrial gas masks and rubber gloves, materials considered protective gear, and a 35-pound box of tea leaves, among other paraphernalia. Further probing led agents to discover approximately 1,195 grams of ADB-BUTINACA in various zip-lock bags, labeled explicitly with the drug's weight.
At the time of his arrest, having been ordered not to possess a firearm just weeks prior due to a misdemeanor assault case, Barnes was on probation. Underneath the mattress in Barnes' bedroom, the weapon, a loaded Beretta 9mm pistol with 15 rounds of ammunition, along with additional mixtures of powder and rock-like substances. Assistant U.S. Attorney Iris McCranie and Trial Attorney Ernesto Alvarado prosecuted this case, which was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team. U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. AliKhan imposed the sentence on Barnes, which includes three years of supervised release following his prison term.
