A 19-year-old Arlington man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to possessing 947 fentanyl pills with the intent to deliver, according to the Willow Park Police Department. Judge Craig Towson sentenced Paul Dillon Brown, a documented gang member, in Parker County District Court on September 9.
Brown was initially apprehended on February 29, 2024, when a Willow Park police officer pulled over a vehicle he was driving for speeding at 108 mph on Interstate 20. Officers recovered fentanyl pills in Brown’s jeans pockets and trunk, as well as two firearms, one of which was stolen. Brown was released on bail, but he was detained again after selling fentanyl to undercover cops, according to Arlington Police Department detectives.
“Fentanyl is a scourge on our country,” said District Attorney Jeff Swain. “Our community is not exempt from its impact as we have had far too many fatal overdoses right here in Parker County.” Swain emphasized the hard line taken on fentanyl cases, noting Judge Towson’s alignment with this approach.
During the trial, Assistant District Attorneys Ryan Whyte and Mallory Vincent showed a music video portraying Brown and other members of the Get Bacc Gang with cash and weaponry. When sentencing Brown, Judge Towson declared, “The only way I can protect the public is to sentence you to life in prison.”
Brown’s Parker County sentence will be served concurrently with a five-year term for a separate fentanyl supply charge in Tarrant County. According to Swain, he must serve at least 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. Vincent emphasized the importance of social media in drug distribution and urged parents to monitor their children’s online habits.