Man Sentenced to 12 Years In Prison For Supplying Fentanyl To Manassas Distributors

MANASSAS, VA — A man from Philadelphia was sentenced to 148 months in prison for providing fentanyl to Manassas distributors, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The man, Eronus Blay, was sentenced on Friday.

Authorities said Blay provided more than 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl in the form of thousands of counterfeit pills. Distributors then provided the fentanyl pills to users in an around Manassas.

Court documents said that three distributors, all from Manassas, met Blay in Philadelphia or New Jersey to purchase the pills. The drugs became known as "Phillies," in the Manassas area, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The distributors have already been sentenced, officials said.

Read more: Manassas Man Sentenced For Selling Counterfeit Pills, Fentanyl

In December 2020, authorities searched homes connected to Blay and two of the Manassas distributors. Police officers said they found two firearms and more than $100,000 in drug proceeds during the searches.

From April 2020 to April 2021, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. died as a result of drug overdoses, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control. Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 75,000 deaths.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a 24/7 hotline for people who may be struggling with addiction. They can be reached at 1-800-662-4357.

Have a story idea? Email me at liam.griffin@patch.com with tips, questions, comments, or concerns.