Legal Issues

Fentanyl Kingpin May Face Life In Prison After Investigation By Multiple Agencies

Fentanyl Kingpin May Face Life In Prison After Investigation By Multiple Agencies

A drug kingpin who was hoarding 30 kilograms of fentanyl and over half a million dollars is now facing life in prison following an investigation by multiple government agencies.

According to an official release from the IRS Criminal Investigation division, Maurice Montain McCoy, Jr., of Moreno Valley, California, was the leader of a drug and money laundering conspiracy that had distribution hubs in multiple U.S. cities, including Novi, Michigan, where the aforementioned stash was discovered by DEA agents in July 2017.

The release notes that the raid "was the result of agents' creative investigative work after they traced a UPC code off a Sony PlayStation box that was used to deliver heroin to a drug customer."

The UPC code ultimately led to the Novi condominium where the fentanyl stash was discovered. This original bust led to multiple arrests and more seizures in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Baltimore, Maryland, 

McCoy led a lavish lifestyle using his drug proceeds -- he owned Porsche Panamera, costly jewelry, and a $500,000 home in the Los Angeles metro area. Previously, the defendant in this case served ten years in federal prison due to a California drug conviction.

He now faces a minimum sentence of 15 years but could be subject to a life sentence under federal law.

U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison spoke out about McCoy's arrest, saying, "Fentanyl is now the leading cause of overdose deaths. It is inherently dangerous and 50 times more potent than heroin. The number of lives saved by this seizure is infinite. Individuals who traffic deadly drugs in our community will be held accountable for the harm they inflict on our citizens."

McCoy will be sentenced by Judge Terrence G. Berg on March 16, 2023. 

16 of the 18 defendants in this far-reaching case have already pleaded guilty, and have either been sentenced or have pending sentencing dates. The final defendants will go to trial on November 16.

This investigation required cooperation from multiple agencies, including the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement (OCDETF) Southeast Regional Strike Force, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the IRS Criminal Investigation.

What do you think about this massive fentanyl bust?

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Rebekah Barton

Rebekah Barton

Rebekah's search engine optimization career began completely by accident as a college student. Over the course of her career so far, she has "grown up" with the SEO industry, from writing content while juggling classes to managing her own teams of writers and overseeing SEO strategy in subsequent roles. She is excited to bring her passion for high-quality content to CountingWorks, Inc.

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