Three Memphis men were sentenced following their convictions at trial on Nov. 12, 2025, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, according to an April 17 announcement. Darius Moore received a sentence of 210 months in prison, while Mervin Anderson and Mario Gardner were previously sentenced to 150 months and 51 months respectively. Moore was identified as a career offender due to prior convictions and was on supervised release when he committed the latest offense. He also received an additional year in prison for violating his supervised release conditions.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about fentanyl distribution in Memphis and its impact on community safety. According to the official website, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee advances community safety through federal law enforcement and public outreach efforts according to the official website.
Evidence presented during trial showed that Moore, Anderson, and Gardner were members or associates of Young Mob Military or Young Mob street gang. One leader of this group, Brian Lackland, played a central role in running the drug conspiracy distributing fentanyl throughout western Tennessee. Authorities seized thousands of counterfeit blue pills containing fentanyl sent through the United States Postal Service addressed to Lackland’s residence; these pills were designed to look like Oxycodone and referred to as “blues” or “blues clues.” Surveillance recorded exchanges involving large quantities of these pills at various public locations across Memphis.
“These three defendants mailed thousands of dangerous and potentially fatal fentanyl laced pills through the United States mail and openly sold them on the streets of Memphis, ultimately endangering end users,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Dangerous opiates like fentanyl are a scourge to our communities, and leave a wake of death, ruined lives, and sorrow. Dedicated work by law enforcement took this drug trafficking organization down. We will continue to stand with our partners and remove dangerous drug dealers from the streets.”
“Because illicit fentanyl is closer to a chemical weapon than a narcotic, President Trump has designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD),” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee. “Its lethality is significant, and those who traffic fentanyl must be severely punished and incapacitated. This sentence will ensure that this recidivist ‘not-so-young’ mob member will grow old in a federal prison.”
While awaiting trial on drug charges at Shelby County Detention Center, Anderson was convicted separately for possessing two handmade knives—known as shanks—and threatening another inmate with violence using those weapons.
Other alleged members connected with Young Mob face separate indictments involving racketeering conspiracy along with narcotics- or firearm-related offenses.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) together with Memphis Police investigated this case; prosecution was handled by attorneys from both local offices within VCRS (Violent Crime & Racketeering Section) alongside assistance from Assistant U.S Attorneys serving western Tennessee—a district established in 1803 that covers prosecutions from offices based in both Memphis & Jackson according to its official history. The office is one among ninety-three under U.S Department Of Justice according to its website, handling both criminal prosecutions & civil defenses regionally.