Dayton man who trafficked fentanyl near local high school sentenced to 12 years in prison

DAYTON, Ohio - Clifford Bernard, 48, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 144 months in prison for dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of a public high school.

According to court documents, between July and September 2024, Bernard possessed and distributed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Bernard sold the fentanyl at his residence on Angier Drive which is within 1,000 feet of Paul Dunbar High School.

Bernard was arrested in October 2024. At the time of his arrest, he had $5,000 in cash on his person. When agents searched Bernard's home, they seized nearly one kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded firearm and luxury items like jewelry and a vintage Pontiac Firebird.

Bernard pleaded guilty in February 2026 to possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl within a school zone.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed on June 5 by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Rossi is representing the United States in this case.

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