Three Orange County Men Sentenced To Federal Prison For Fentanyl And Methamphetamine Conspiracy

Orlando, Florida - U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Ronald E. Hubbard, Jr. (38, Apopka) to 13 years and 4 months in federal prison and Douglas E. Arnett, Jr. (33, Orlando) to 9 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bradley D. Burch (35, Apopka) was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in the drug conspiracy and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. All three pleaded guilty in May 2025.

According to the plea agreements and court documents, throughout 2023, undercover agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of powder fentanyl, counterfeit fentanyl pills, and methamphetamine from Burch. For at least some of those transactions, Hubbard, Arnett, or both supplied the drugs to Burch to sell to the undercover agents. Over the course of the conspiracy, the group distributed nearly 2 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 350 grams of fentanyl or fentanyl analog mixtures. Additionally, during some of these transactions, Burch had a firearm nearby or in his waistband.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Apopka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.