Detroit-area woman arrested over fentanyl that killed 3 Grosse Pointe Woods residents
(CBS DETROIT) - A Detroit-area woman was arrested for allegedly distributing drugs that killed multiple people in June 2023, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison announced.
Aerian Porter-Crag, 32, of Harper Woods, is accused of selling drugs that were laced with fentanyl that killed three Grosse Pointe Woods residents last year. The documents say Porter-Craig regularly sold drugs to all three of the adult victims before their deaths, according to the complaint.
On June 9, 2023, Porter-Craig allegedly went to one of the victim's houses in Grosse Pointe Woods to deliver drugs to a man and a woman, and also made a delivery to a second woman at her house.
Authorities found the victims on June 10. When they were at the first man's house, they found a tray by the woman's body there "with a rolled up twenty-dollar bill and white powder that tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl," according to the release.
At the other victim's house, police also found a tray next to the victim's body, along with a straw and white powder that contained fentanyl, cocaine and xylazine. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that is sometimes mixed with fentanyl but is not safe for humans to consume.
Autopsies revealed that the first two victims died from fentanyl toxicity and the other victim died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity.
After interviews and reviewing cell phones, authorities learned that all three victims and another friend were supposed to go to a music show at a Detroit venue that night but had never made it.
Officials say outgoing communications from all three victims' phones stopped at about 11 p.m. after Porter-Craig had allegedly delivered the drugs. After the victims stopped answering, Porter-Craig also exchanged text messages with another customer at about 12:30 a.m. on June 10, who told her they used a test strip on the cocaine she had sold him, and it tested positive for fentanyl, according to the complaint.
On June 14, Porter-Craig allegedly sent text messages to another customer, in which she said, "This is why I'm firm on my prices because I pay for y'all to be safe atp it's not even all about the money y'all have become family and this is the very shit I was trying to avoid happening I'm so hurt off this one."
Porter-Craig was arrested in connection to the fatal overdoses Wednesday. The FBI and the Grosse Pointe Woods Detective Bureau are investigating the case.
"The arrest of Aerian Porter-Craig, an alleged drug dealer, marks the next step for law enforcement in combating the illegal distribution of drugs, such as Fentanyl," said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. "The families of the three victims who tragically lost their lives can find some solace in knowing the FBI in Michigan, in collaboration with the Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department, remains committed to investigating and delivering justice to those affected by such criminal activities."