Devon Shermaine Rhodes, a 45-year-old man from Houston, has been sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a significant quantity of crystal methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison imposed the sentence following Rhodes’s guilty plea on September 15, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Rhodes had requested a reduced sentence of 46 months, stating that he did not discard drugs or drive recklessly during his arrest. The court denied the request, citing his criminal history and the potential risk to the community.
On the day of his arrest, Rhodes acquired approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine, paying over $10,000 for the drugs. During the incident, he attempted to evade law enforcement, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph. While fleeing, he threw several kilograms of meth from his vehicle, which broke apart upon hitting the road. After one kilogram opened during the pursuit, authorities later recovered additional drugs in Rhodes’s vehicle. He has remained in custody since the arrest, pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
Operation All Gas No Brakes, a Homeland Security Task Force initiative, was involved in this case. Established under Executive Order 14159 to protect the American public from cartels and other criminal organizations, the task force represents an interagency effort to disrupt groups that threaten national security. It places particular emphasis on offenses involving children and works to remove violent criminal non-citizens from U.S. territory.
The investigation involved a combined effort from the DEA, ATF, ICE-HSI, FBI, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and Houston Police Department, highlighting interagency cooperation in addressing drug trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley J. Sullivan led the prosecution, which resulted in Rhodes’s 135-month sentence. Rhodes is awaiting placement in a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
