Anthony Kenner, Fentanyl Trafficking, Montana 2024

COLUMBUS, MT – A routine traffic stop in Columbus, Montana, ripped open a fentanyl trafficking operation and landed 31-year-old Anthony Omarel Kenner, of Tacoma, Washington, with an 11-year federal prison sentence. Kenner was sentenced May 1st by U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, following a guilty plea entered in December 2023.

The bust originated during a March 2022 traffic stop conducted by law enforcement. Officers immediately flagged inconsistencies in the stories told by Kenner and his passenger, alongside the visible presence of drug paraphernalia within the vehicle. This raised enough suspicion to secure a search warrant, and what they found in the trunk was damning: a backpack brimming with cocaine and fentanyl, alongside a stolen .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol.

Kenner’s legal troubles weren’t limited to the drugs themselves. He was already a prohibited person – barred from possessing firearms due to a prior felony conviction in Washington state. This added another layer of severity to the charges, solidifying the federal case against him. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Columbus Police Department jointly investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey M. Hendricks and Thomas K. Godfrey led the prosecution, successfully arguing for the maximum penalty given the dangerous combination of drugs and a stolen weapon. The government’s evidence clearly demonstrated Kenner’s intent to distribute the fentanyl, contributing to the ongoing opioid crisis plaguing communities across the nation.

U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich framed the sentencing as part of “Project Safe Neighborhoods” (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. PSN focuses on building trust with communities, supporting preventative programs, and prioritizing strategic enforcement – all with the ultimate goal of safer neighborhoods. But for Kenner, the neighborhood safety project delivered a harsh reality check.

Following his 11-year prison term, Kenner will face five years of supervised release. The case serves as a stark reminder that even a seemingly minor traffic stop can unravel a complex criminal network and bring down those responsible for flooding Montana’s streets with deadly fentanyl. The investigation continues to explore potential co-conspirators and the source of the drugs and stolen firearm.

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