On October 31, 2024, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the guilty plea of Kenan Bernard Allen, 38, also known as “King,” in a sweeping drug trafficking case that exposed the operation of a high-volume drug ring centered at a Dallas motel. Allen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Allen and his network of accomplices allegedly used Room 222 of the motel as a “trap room,” a secure location for preparing and selling large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. A network of security measures included a doorman who screened customers, and surveillance cameras installed throughout the motel rooms, allowing traffickers to monitor both police activity and internal security. Inside, customers ordered drugs at a service station and frequently consumed them on-site. Law enforcement discovered that even young children were sometimes present in the trap rooms, an environment where fentanyl capsules and other potent drugs were openly handled.
The operation was marked by regular violence. Court records reveal instances in which Allen and his associates assaulted buyers to enforce control over the trafficking environment. Surveillance video captured scenes of violent attacks, including:
- A customer being beaten with a broom handle and trash can.
- Another victim restrained and assaulted in the motel’s breezeway.
- A customer pistol-whipped by a co-defendant, while Allen observed.
- An unconscious female customer, who had overdosed, having her foot burned with a lighter.
The investigation culminated in a raid on April 19, 2023, where law enforcement searched two primary trap rooms—Allen’s own Room 222 and a secondary room, 111. They seized a vast cache of narcotics and firearms, which included more than two kilograms of methamphetamine, 108 grams of fentanyl, 198 grams of heroin, 168 grams of cocaine, and smaller amounts of psilocybin mushrooms, PCP, hydrocodone, and morphine. Officers also recovered seven handguns, an AK-47-style rifle, multiple drug scales, and a ballistic vest.
Allen’s guilty plea represents one of multiple cases against a network of associates. To date, six other defendants, including “Money,” “Slim,” “Fat Boy,” and “Kilo,” have either pleaded guilty or indicated intent to plead, while the final defendant faces a January 6, 2025, trial.
If convicted, Allen faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine. His sentencing is scheduled for March 7, 2025. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
