A Mount Pleasant man is now in custody following a lengthy investigation surrounding the drug-related deaths of two people nearly two years ago.
Arrested Jan. 23 related to a criminal indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office-Eastern District of Texas, Jaquavion Markeith Veasley, 35, is accused of providing the fentanyl that caused two deaths in Mount Pleasant in the spring of 2023.
Narcotics detectives with the Mount Pleasant Police Department (MPPD), in cooperation with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Texas Department of Public Safety CID (Criminal Investigations Division) apprehended Veasley in Upshur County Thursday afternoon. He was later booked into the Smith County Jail.
The MPPD initially launched an investigation starting in March 2023 after the death of the first victim in Mount Pleasant. A month later, another fatality occurred. In both instances, the cause of death was determined, by the Dallas County Office of the Medical Examiner, to be due to the toxic effects of fentanyl. During the ongoing investigation related to the two deaths, multiple narcotic cases were initiated which eventually led to the seizure of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, from Veasley’s residence.
Last month, on Dec. 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained multiple indictments for Veasley’s arrest including two counts of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl causing death and three counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
For questions regarding this investigation, please call the Mount Pleasant Police Department at 903-575-4004.
Sonya Woods
Sonya has followed a lifelong passion for journalism. Sonya began publishing The Tri-County Press on August 29, 2013, providing a weekly newspaper connecting the citizens of Titus, Camp and Morris Counties as well as neighboring residents through responsible community journalism.