A Fort Worth man is headed to federal prison for 18.5 years after a jury found he was carrying a mix of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine, according to prosecutors. Jurors convicted Frederick Asberry on multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances after a law-enforcement stop that turned up the drugs.
The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office said in a Facebook update that a jury found Asberry guilty on counts tied to those narcotics and that he received an 18.5-year federal sentence. According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, officers pulled Asberry over on a federal probation-violation warrant, then found the stash inside his vehicle.
Case docket and courthouse
The federal case is listed as “USA v. Frederick Asberry,” docket number 4:24-cr-00258, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. The court calendar currently shows hearings set in July 2025 at the federal courthouse at 501 W. 10th St. Case scheduling details appear on the U.S. District Court calendar for Fort Worth.
Prosecution and evidence
Prosecutors identified Michael Ferry as the attorney who handled the matter while serving as a Tarrant County assistant district attorney and a federal special assistant U.S. attorney. The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office said Asberry was stopped in August 2024 on a federal probation-violation warrant and that officers recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin from his vehicle, evidence that was featured at trial.
Federal penalties explained
Under federal law, sentencing in narcotics cases depends heavily on the drug type and quantity, with many trafficking offenses carrying mandatory minimum terms that quickly add up to long prison stretches. The Congressional Research Service outlines how substances including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine trigger different mandatory minimum penalties and guideline ranges under 21 U.S.C. § 841, which helps explain why convictions in multi-drug cases often result in substantial sentences.
Local enforcement context
Federal and local agencies have been ramping up joint efforts against drug trafficking in the Fort Worth area, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas regularly publicizing multi-agency investigations and sizable seizures. Those enforcement patterns show why some narcotics cases are steered into federal court, where prosecutors can pursue longer terms. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas…