Minnesota fentanyl scheme: 7 sentenced for trafficking pills in toys, household items

(FOX 9) - Seven people have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking scheme that brought fentanyl from Arizona to be sold throughout Minnesota.

Drug trafficking operation dismantled

What we know:

According to court documents, between the summer of 2022 and the summer of 2023, the group was involved in a network responsible for distributing fentanyl by frequently traveling from Minneapolis to Phoenix, Arizona, where they would obtain multi-pound quantities that they would then mail to various addresses in the Twin Cities area — often concealing thousands of fentanyl pills in toys or household items.

The investigation led to the seizure of about 200,000 fentanyl pills, four firearms and cash.

The following sentences were imposed by a U.S. District Judge:

• Latre Lamont Anderson, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to 13 years followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl.
• Issac Oneal Maiden, of St. Paul, was sentenced to 13 years followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl.
• Rozell Antonio Grainger, of St. Paul, was sentenced to 10 years followed by five years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl.
• Jeremy James Nelson-Caban, Jr., of Duluth, was sentenced to three years followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl.
• Olivia Mae Erin Martineau-Johns, of Cloquet, was sentenced to nine months followed by two years of supervised release for violating her condition(s) of supervised release.
• Jacquez O’Neal Fondern, of Duluth, was sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl.
• Khianna Rose Clark-Strong, of Duluth, was sentenced to time served followed by supervised release for violating her condition(s) of supervised release.

Law enforcement collaboration

What they're saying:

"As a direct result of this investigation, DEA and our law enforcement partners across the region prevented thousands of deadly doses of fentanyl from hitting the streets," said Special Agent Dustin Gillespie in a statement accompanying the sentencing announcement.