BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations which led to a woman's death.
Carl Wayne Hite, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on September 18, 2024.
According to information presented in court, on February 20, 2023, a 43-year-old woman died in Port Arthur after taking fentanyl. An investigation revealed Hite sold drugs to the woman which contained fentanyl, resulting in her death.
During a search of Hite’s home, law enforcement officers found various controlled substances, including fentanyl.
Hite faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Beaumont Police Department, Port Neches Police Department, Port Arthur Police Department, FBI, Jefferson County Crime Laboratory, and DEA South Central Laboratory.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan C. Lee and Matthew Quinn.
