1st of 9 defendants charged in Minnesota's largest fentanyl bust pleads guilty to conspiracy
MINNEAPOLIS — A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty on Tuesday for his role in a drug trafficking operation that led to the largest fentanyl bust in Minnesota history.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says Cornell Chandler Jr. is the first of nine defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl to enter a plea.
The defendants are accused of traveling from the Twin Cities to Phoenix in 2022 to buy synthetic drugs, then mailing the pills back to multiple locations in the metro inside Squishmallows plush toys, according to court documents.
A joint operation by the sheriff's offices of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties led to the seizure of 280,000 fentanyl pills, or 30,000 grams. The estimated street value was more than $2.2 million, according to the Washington County Drug Task Force.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose.
Five others were charged in January: Shardai Allen, 24; Quijuan Bankhead, 30; Stardasha Davenport-Mounger, 24; Fo'Tre White, 26; and Robiel Williams, 23. White is also charged with two felony firearms crimes.
Three more suspects were charged in March: Da'Shawn Natori Domena, Phyu Win Jame and Amaya Tiffany-Nicole Mims.
While the minimum sentence for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl is 10 years in prison plus five years to life of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office is recommending Chandler be sentenced to up to 15.5 years due to his criminal history.
Chandler's sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Jan. 5, 2024.
