A man from Spokane Valley was sentenced this week to more than 14 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 24 year old Dennen Fitterer-Usher, according to prosecutors, met 20 year old Matthew James Holmberg… also of Spokane Valley, who was involved in distributing a variety of controlled substances, including fentanyl pills. Holmberg began bringing Fitterer-Usher to drug deals with him as an armed bodyguard. Then on May 31, 2021, 18-year-old Gabriel Casper, 19 year old Vadin Bartlett, and 18 year old and Ashton Creech, met Holmberg and Fitterer-Usher in their car after Casper had arranged to purchase $300 worth of pills. He and the others were armed and arrived at the deal with the intent of robbing Holmberg. During the transaction, when Casper attempted to steal the pills, Fitterer-Usher shot Casper six times. While Bartlett and Creech fled, Holmberg sped off with Casper still in the vehicle. Several blocks later, Casper was pushed from the moving car and left to die.
