Wisconsin man & Georgia woman sentenced for trying to hide fentanyl inside stuffed animals
MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – A 28-year-old Wisconsin man and a 30-year-old Georgia woman were both sentenced to prison on Tuesday for trafficking fentanyl hidden inside stuffed animals.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, Jontell C. Shepherd from Madison was sentenced to just over three-and-a-half years in federal prison for attempting to possess fentanyl intended for distribution.
The sentencing on Tuesday, July 23, was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson. Shepherd’s prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. He pled guilty to the charge on January 31, 2024.
Additionally, Judge Peterson also sentenced Keyshawna D. Draper of Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday to two-and-a-half years in federal prison for attempting to distribute fentanyl. Like Shepherd’s, Draper’s prison term will be followed by supervised release, although hers will be for four years. Draper pled guilty to the charge on April 19, 2024.
Court records show that on January 26, 2023, law enforcement intercepted two suspicious packages being shipped to the Madison area from Arizona.
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After obtaining a search warrant, officers opened the packages, and inside, they found a stuffed animal containing around 4.85 pounds of counterfeit prescription pills.
In total, the release says that more than 40,000 pills were seized. Testing found that the pills contained fentanyl. Officers arranged for a controlled delivery of one package, and Shepherd and co-defendant Alexis K. Davis were arrested after arriving at the delivery location to pick up the package.
The government’s investigation revealed that co-defendant Brianna M. Reno arranged for Draper to ship the fentanyl pills to Madison from Arizona. On January 25, 2023, Draper traveled from Atlanta to Phoenix, where she packaged the pills and mailed them to Reno and Davis in Madison.
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In both sentences, Judge Peterson reflected on the serious harm that fentanyl causes to the community. He noted that the large amount of fentanyl involved in this case was especially concerning.
All four defendants charged with this trafficking scheme have pled guilty. On July 10, 2024, Reno was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Davis will be sentenced on July 25.
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