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11 year sentence for Houston meth dealer high-speed drug toss

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Published  December 14, 2025 5:30pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 26 Houston
article

Photo credit: RICHARD BOUHET/AFP via Getty Images

The Brief

    • A Houston man, Devon Shermaine Rhodes, was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for possession of over 5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
    • Rhodes fled law enforcement in November 2022, reaching speeds of 100 mph and throwing bags of the drug from his car during the chase.
    • The judge cited Rhodes' extensive criminal history and the danger of the drug in handing down the 135-month sentence, rejecting his request for a lighter term.

HOUSTON - A 45-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison for possessing crystal methamphetamine with intent to distribute, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.

11 years for five kilograms of meth

What we know:

Devon Shermaine Rhodes pleaded guilty on Sept. 15 and received a 135-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison, followed by five years of supervised release. 

Rhodes had asked the court for a 46-month sentence, arguing he neither discarded drugs nor drove dangerously during his arrest, but the court rejected his claim after reviewing video evidence. 

Judge Ellison cited Rhodes’ extensive criminal history, the danger posed by crystal meth and the risk he presented to the Houston community.

Transfer to federal prison

What's next:

Rhodes has remained in custody and will continue to do so pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

High-speed chase and throwing drugs

The backstory:

Authorities said the case stems from a Nov. 8, 2022, drug transaction at a local fast-food restaurant, where investigators observed Rhodes pay more than $10,000 in cash for about five kilograms of crystal meth. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop later that day, Rhodes fled, reaching speeds of up to 100 mph.

During the chase, Rhodes threw multiple kilograms of methamphetamine out the driver’s-side window, causing the packaging to burst on the roadway, according to officials. 

A subsequent search of his vehicle uncovered additional quantities of crystal meth.

Multi-agency Task Force investigation

Dig deeper:

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; and Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.

The prosecution was part of Operation All Gas No Brakes.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Texas.

Crime and Public SafetyHoustonTexasHarris County Sheriff's OfficeHarris CountyHouston Police Department