Fort Worth Man Charged With Trafficking Fentanyl-Laced Fake Percocet

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - A Fort Worth man has been charged with federal drug crimes after he allegedly sold fake Percocet pills laced with fentanyl, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham announced Mar. 23.

Troy Wright, 40, was indicted on three counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl after a criminal complaint was filed against him earlier this month.

According to court documents, a confidential source told DEA agents that Wright has contacted him regarding the sale of the fake pills.

The agents directed the source to order 200 pills for $8 apiece. He and Wright met outside a hardware store in Irving, where Wright allegedly handed over the pills in exchange for $1,600. Agents then confiscated the pills.

Two weeks later, the source ordered 400 pills for $7 apiece. Agents followed Wright from his Fort Worth home to a discount clothing store in Hurst, where Wright allegedly gave the source the pills in exchange for $2,800. Again, the agents then confiscated the pills.

Immediately after that transaction, the source texted Wright asking to buy more pills.

"Picking my kids up from school we can meet up after 4 I can be headed your way," the defendant responded.

"Mr. Wright demonstrated his wanton disregard for the lives of his neighbors and their children when he allegedly pushed onto the streets large numbers of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl," said Eduardo A. Chávez, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Dallas. "DEA and its local law enforcement partners will continue to improve the safety of our neighborhoods by working together to remove dangerous illegal drugs from our streets and hold accountable those who make these drugs available."

An indictment is merely an allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Wright is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces 20 years on each count for a total of up to 60 years in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanna Etessam is prosecuting the case.