Remaining defendants plead guilty in Minnesota's largest ever fentanyl bust
Eight people pleaded guilty to their role in one of the largest fentanyl busts in Minnesota history, Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced Thursday.
Between Aug. 6, 2024, and March 12, Christina Davenport-Mounger, Da'Shawn Domena, Robiel Williams, Fo'Tre White, Shardai Allen, Quijuan Bankhead, Amaya Mims and Phyu Jame all pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, according to court documents.
A judge sentenced Chandler to over 13 years in prison last November. Sentencing hearings for the others have yet to be scheduled.
Charges say between August 2022 and December 2023, several of the defendants would travel to Phoenix to obtain fentanyl pills from suppliers and would hide the pills inside stuffed animals before mailing them to addresses in and around the Twin Cities.
Authorities from Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties initiated a joint investigation into the trafficking ring, resulting in the seizure of over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills.
Investigators say there were 280,000 pills with an estimated value of more than $2 million.
Preliminary data from the Minnesota Department of Health says more than 1,200 people died from drug overdoses in 2023, with about 70% of them involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
