MINNEAPOLIS — A 24-year-old man pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in a drug trafficking operation that led to the largest fentanyl bust in Minnesota history.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Cornell Chandler Jr. is the first of nine defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl to enter a plea.
The defendants are accused of traveling from the Twin Cities to Phoenix in 2022 to buy synthetic drugs and then returning the pills to multiple locations around the metro in Squishmallow’s stuffed animals, court documents show.
A joint operation between the sheriff’s offices of Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties led to the seizure of 280,000 fentanyl pills, or 30,000 grams. The estimated street value was more than $2.2 million, according to the Washington County Drug Task Force.
That’s according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration 2 mg of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose.
Five others were charged in January: Shardai Allen, 24; Quijuan Bankhead, 30; Stardasha Davenport-Mounger, 24; Fo’Tre White, 26; and Robiel Williams, 23. White is also charged with two firearms offenses.
In March, three more suspects were charged: Da’Shawn Natori Domena, Phyu Win Jame and Amaya Tiffany-Nicole Mims.
Although the minimum sentence for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl is 10 years in prison plus five years to life on supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends that Chandler could be sentenced to up to 15.5 years due to his criminal history.
Chandler’s sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.
NOTE: The original air date of the video for this article is January 5, 2024.
