A federal judge has sentenced 38-year-old David Lee Pitts to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession, following his arrest for attempting to flee law enforcement officers at a storage facility in Pompano Beach.
U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal handed down the sentence after Pitts, a career offender with prior felony convictions, pleaded guilty on September 4, 2024, to charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, and oxycodone, as well as illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Foot chase leads to arrest
On April 26, 2024, law enforcement officers observed Pitts transfer two bags of suspected illegal drugs from his storage unit to his vehicle. Upon noticing police vehicles at the facility’s main gate, Pitts attempted to escape on foot, tossing the bags onto a nearby rooftop in an effort to discard the evidence. Officers quickly apprehended him and recovered the bags, which were later confirmed to contain cocaine and alpha-PVP (flakka), a dangerous synthetic drug.
Following his arrest, authorities executed a search warrant on Pitts’ storage unit, uncovering additional quantities of cocaine, flakka, fentanyl, and oxycodone, along with a Glock 30S .45-caliber pistol, a magazine, and ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Latoya C. Brown prosecuting. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter.
Pitts’ sentencing falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering community partnerships and strategic law enforcement efforts. The Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy, launched in 2021, emphasizes trust-building, community support, and targeted enforcement to enhance public safety.
