Illinois High School Coach Indicted in Federal Drug Trafficking Case

Demetrius Combs, a 33-year-old high school baseball coach from Cahokia High School in Illinois, has been indicted on multiple federal drug trafficking charges, including distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession of large quantities of these drugs with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The indictment alleges that Combs sold drugs to an undercover St. Louis County police officer on several occasions between June and August 2023. A court-authorized search of Combs' residence and vehicle uncovered multiple firearms—including one modified to be fully automatic—several cell phones, thousands of dollars in cash, a pill press, fentanyl capsules, methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia. Combs was arrested on September 25 and has pleaded not guilty, with prosecutors seeking to hold him without bond until trial. The investigation involved the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI and is part of a broader federal initiative targeting drug trafficking and violent crime in the region. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Christian Goeke is leading the prosecution in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.