LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas
Two local merchants have been sentenced for their roles in distributing designer drugs, including synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, in the largest coordinated law enforcement strike against these substances.
Amjad Kattom, 37, and his brother Fadi Qtouf, 29, were sentenced on January 28, 2015, after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Analogues of Controlled Substances.
The charges stem from Project Synergy, a massive law enforcement operation targeting the distribution of synthetic drugs, often referred to as ‘K2’ or ‘Spice’ and ‘bath salts.’
Kattom and Qtouf were two of the lead defendants in the case. Kattom was sentenced to 70 months in prison, three years of supervised release, a $5,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Qtouf received a 60-month prison sentence, three years of supervised release, a $5,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The investigation was a joint effort involving the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Little Rock Police Department, the Conway Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Pine Bluff Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the United States Postal Inspectors.
The Arkansas National Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the United States Secret Service, the Arkansas State Police, and the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board also assisted in the investigation.
Related Federal Cases
- Lonnie Joseph Parker, Unlawful Distribution of Schedule II and Schedule V Controlled Substances, Arkansas 2023 · Tennessee
- Carlos Rios, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Arkansas 2016 · Arkansas
- Orlando Deshun Mitchell, Distribution of More Than 28 Grams of Cocaine Base, Arkansas 2013 · Arkansas
- Michael Sartin, Methamphetamine Distribution, Arkansas 2023 · Arkansas
- Ulysses Bush, Methamphetamine Distribution, Arkansas 2024 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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