Man sentenced for role in stuffed animal fentanyl ring

Minnesota fentanyl ring drug bust latest

Federal authorities announced the arrest of six people on Thursday who they say were involved in a fentanyl trafficking ring that used stuffed animals to move to Minnesota. FOX 9?s Paul Blume has the latest.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A St. Paul man involved in a fentanyl trafficking ring that moved drugs inside stuffed animals will spend a decade behind bars. 

Twin cities fentanyl ring

The sentencing:

Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 31, was sentenced on May 29 to 120 months (10 years), followed by five years of supervised release. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl for his role in this scheme.

"Bankhead and his network smuggled deadly fentanyl into Minnesota and had the gall to hide this poison inside of children’s toys—stuffed animals," said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson in a statement. "Bankhead will now serve a well-deserved decade in federal prison."

The backstory:

Bankhead and at least eight others were part of a group that distributed fentanyl throughout the Twin Cities and nearby areas.

Some of those involved would travel to Phoenix to buy fentanyl pills from suppliers. The pills were placed into stuffed animals and mailed to address around the Twin Cities.

Investigators in Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties became aware of the ring and launched an investigation. Law enforcement ultimately seized six packages, weighing more than 66 pounds and containing approximately 280,000 pills. Officials say the estimated street value is more than $2 million. 

What's next:

According to the DOJ, each of the nine people charged has pleaded guilty. Seven people are still awaiting sentencing.