Dwayne “DJ” Turner, a 38-year-old Knoxville man, was sentenced to 250 months in federal prison followed by eight years of supervised release for his role in a methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution conspiracy that stretched across Northeast Tennessee. The sentence follows an encounter in which officers confronted Turner on property where a no-trespass notice had been issued before the encounter.
A No-Trespass Notice
U.S. District Judge Clifton L. Corker imposed the sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Turner pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and prosecutors filed an enhanced penalty notice under 21 U.S.C. § 851 based on a prior serious drug felony conviction, according to the same office.
As WATE 6 On Your Side reports, Turner and co-defendant Mark Horton, 63, of Johnson City, distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other substances across Knoxville, Johnson City, and other parts of Northeast Tennessee. Horton was previously sentenced by Judge Corker to 140 months — 11 years and 8 months — in federal prison for his role in the same conspiracy, per the Justice Department.
Confrontation at Housing Property
When law enforcement officers confronted Turner on Johnson City Housing Authority property in June 2025, he ran on foot and ditched a backpack that was later found to contain methamphetamine, fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Turner was subject to a no-trespass notice before the June 2025 encounter at Johnson City Housing Authority property.
How the Sentence Climbed So High
Turner received a 250-month sentence, while Horton was sentenced to 140 months. Turner also faced an enhanced penalty under Section 851, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A filing under Section 851 can enhance statutory penalties for defendants with qualifying prior drug convictions, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission.
A Multi-Agency Investigation
Federal authorities said a joint investigation targeted a Knoxville-to-Johnson City drug distribution network.
A Region Still Battling Overdoses
The case lands in a part of the state that has long carried the heaviest overdose toll in Tennessee. East Tennessee has historically accounted for roughly 43% of all fatal drug overdoses statewide, according to Overmountain Recovery, which identifies illicit fentanyl as a driver of overdose deaths.
There are signs of some improvement elsewhere in the region. In Knox County, overdose deaths fell to 334 in 2024, a 36% drop from the year before, according to Total Recovery Medical Center. The center credits increased distribution by organizations such as Metro Drug Coalition with playing a significant role.
Turner's case follows a string of recent federal drug prosecutions across East Tennessee, including Hoodline's earlier report on a Fairview man sentenced to 10 years in an Oregon drug case after fentanyl, meth and guns were found in a Portland-area motel. With eight years of supervised release to follow his prison term, Turner's case now joins a growing list of lengthy federal sentences tied to the region's ongoing fight against methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking.
