As the opioid crisis continues in the United States, the leader of a massive heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl operation in Detroit is headed to prison for 30 years, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. Tempo was the last of thirteen convicted defendants in this conspiracy to be sentenced.
Demarco Tempo, who goes by Polo, was called “a McDonald’s for drugs” by former customers. Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division and Commissioner William Dwyer, Warren Police Department. United States Attorney Matthew Schneider said:
“The drug dealers in this case had a complete disregard for life, and the heroin and fentanyl they sold killed a Michigan resident who was struggling with addiction. The life-saving efforts of the local police and first responders prevented numerous other senseless deaths. Now, with the architect of this drug dealing scheme behind bars for the next 30 years, people suffering from addiction will have a better chance at recovery.”
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Between 2012 and June 2016, when he was arrested, Tempo led what was called the Polo organization, a group of drug traffickers on the east side of Detroit who sold heroin and crack cocaine.
According to court records, the phone numbers used to reach Tempo were constantly receiving calls. During a 15-month period, there were 416,934 contacts on the two main numbers, with an average of more than 900 per day.
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Authorities said an investigation into a rash of non-fatal fentanyl overdoses and a fatal overdose of a 19-year-old woman in Warren led to an investigation in 2016. According to authorities, Tempo’s organization was selling heroin mixed with fentanyl, and sometimes just fentanyl, to people.
After a three month long investigation, which included physical and electronic surveillance, undercover purchases, search warrants, and customer interviews, authorities identified several members of the Polo organization.
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Between June and Sept. 2016, police arrested 13 people, including Tempo. Authorities said Temp had seven phones, including the two main phones used to contact him.
Many of them were convicted on numerous charges related to distribution, conspiracy to distribute and other charges related to overdoses. Altogether, these defendants were sentenced to terms in federal prison totaling more than 130 years.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ben Coats and Brant Cook.
(Glad they’re going to prison, but it doesn’t seem to me that their sentences are long enough.)
