Elkhart Man Sentenced to 66 Months for Fentanyl Conspiracy

A 34-year-old Elkhart man has been sentenced to 66 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Cornelius Nelson, 34, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

Nelson was sentenced to 66 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, from June through mid-August 2021, Nelson conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Michigan City area. He delivered controlled substances and was present and helped facilitate other transactions when co-defendants sold pills purporting to be oxycodone that were actually fentanyl.

Nelson admitted to selling fentanyl to customers, handling money, and aiding in resupplying controlled substances. He is the final member of this group to be sentenced in this case. Others previously sentenced include Rico Marion, who received 444 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release, Brandon Harris, who received 151 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release, Meliki Marion, who received 130 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release, and Carissa McCoy, who received 63 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the Chicago Field Division, the Merrillville District Office, the Amarillo Texas Resident Office, and the Albuquerque New Mexico District Office, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, and the Michigan City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly L. Schultz and Joel Gabrielse.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana is committed to enforcing federal laws and protecting the community from violent crime and drug trafficking. This case is a prime example of the office’s dedication to making a difference in the lives of Hoosiers.

The DEA and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the networks of those who seek to harm our communities through the distribution of deadly fentanyl.

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