In Minneapolis, a man is facing more than ten years in prison after admitting to being part of a massive drug operation responsible for the largest fentanyl bust in Minnesota’s history.
Robiel Williams recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. This comes after authorities discovered a staggering 280,000 fentanyl pills during a bust in early 2023. It’s hard to even imagine, but those pills were worth more than $2.2 million.
Here’s how it all unfolded: Williams and his crew worked with suppliers in Phoenix to get the fentanyl pills. Then, they came up with a sneaky plan to smuggle the drugs into Minnesota. They hid the pills inside stuffed animals and mailed them to different addresses in the Twin Cities area. To make sure drug-sniffing dogs didn’t catch on, they even lined the packages with dog treats.
So far, eight people have been charged in this case, and one of them, Cornell Chandler Jr., has already been sentenced to 13 years in prison. Williams hasn’t been sentenced yet, but court records suggest he could be looking at 10 to 15 years behind bars.
Fentanyl is a huge problem in Minnesota, and the numbers tell a heartbreaking story. In 2022, this powerful drug was involved in more than 90% of opioid-related deaths and caused over 60% of all overdose deaths across the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
This case highlights just how serious the fentanyl crisis has become and the devastating impact it’s having on communities. It’s a grim reminder of the ongoing fight against this deadly drug.
