3 Pound Fentanyl Shipment Stopped In Ohio: DOJ

TOLEDO, OH — Police arrested three Houston-area men on Tuesday after they were caught with what authorities believe is three pounds of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic heroin. The three men were arrested in Toledo and have since been charged in federal court.

“The fentanyl seized last night is enough to kill everyone in Toledo several times over," said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. "This is a great example of law enforcement working together to make our community safer."

The three men arrested are Anthony Robinson, 32, Barbera Wilson, 21, and Darrius Lewis, 29. Each man has been charged with conspiracy possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

Tuesday night, Robinson and Wilson allegedly went from a Red Roof Inn to a U.S. Post Office in Toledo. They attempted to mail a kilogram of suspected fentanyl, the Department of Justice said. The drugs were wrapped in multiple layers of heat-sealed plastic bags, according to information released by the DOJ. However, the drugs were field tested and were positive for fentanyl, the affidavit filed in federal court said.

After finding the suspected fentanyl at the Post Office, agents got a search warrant for the three men's Red Roof Inn rooms, where all three of the accused were staying. Police found another half-kilogram of suspected fentanyl and a little more than $8,000 in cash, the DOJ said.

So deadly is fentanyl, even a touch of the drug can cause a fatal overdose. In May 2017, an East Liverpool police officer named Chris Green stopped a suspected drug trafficker. He followed protocol, searching the car while wearing gloves and a mask. After finishing his search though, Green took off his gloves and then noticed a powder on his shirt. He instinctively touched it.

That brief touch caused him to overdose. Four doses of naloxone, an overdose antidote, had to be administered to save Green's life.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine noted that fentanyl is deadly, even to the touch, after the incident.

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