Reno Man Sentenced for Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

A Reno man will spend 5 to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms, officials announced.

Darrel Beal was sentenced to 4 to 10 years for trafficking 100 grams or more of fentanyl and 1 to 6 years for being a felon in possession of a gun. The sentences will run consecutively.

The investigation began in August 2025, when detectives from the Reno and Sparks Police Departments, working with the Regional Crime Suppression Unit, began looking into Beal’s alleged fentanyl sales. Controlled purchases using a confidential informant took place over three weeks in September.

Beal was arrested on September 22, 2025, following a search of his home, where authorities seized 343.25 grams of fentanyl, enough for an estimated 1,716,250 lethal doses, along with 21.88 grams of psilocybin, 6.4 grams of heroin, 0.9 grams of cocaine, five vials of liquid anabolic steroids, and several firearms. Beal was also prohibited from possessing guns due to a prior felony conviction.