Fentanyl Kingpin Sentenced to Life Behind Bars
LITTLE ROCK—In a major blow to the opioid crisis, a federal jury convicted a Little Rock man of trafficking fentanyl and possessing firearms, handing down a life sentence for the kingpin.
Montrell Austin, 41, was found guilty of multiple federal drug and firearm crimes, including possession with intent to distribute a quarter pound of fentanyl and five guns.
The conviction comes after a two-day trial, during which prosecutors presented evidence that Austin was at the center of a narcotics operation in Southwest Little Rock. Detectives with the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) had been investigating the shop on Geyer Springs Road, where Austin frequently visited and possibly ran the operation.
On November 9, 2021, LRPD narcotics detectives executed a search warrant at the shop, discovering six guns, nearly a quarter pound of fentanyl, a brick press, scales, mixing equipment, and over $10,000 in U.S. currency. Austin was arrested on the scene and later claimed ownership of all the seized items, including the guns and drugs.
Austin’s co-defendant, Tarik Slater, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by Chief United States District Court Judge Kristine G. Baker.
The investigation was conducted by LRPD, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Eldridge and Julie Peters prosecuted the case.
Austin faces an enhanced penalty of not less than 10 years, but not more than life imprisonment, for committing the fentanyl offense after a previous conviction for a serious drug offense. He also faces not more than 10 years’ imprisonment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and not less than five years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which must be served consecutive to any other sentence.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Austin’s operation was a major player in the opioid crisis, with the potential to distribute large quantities of fentanyl to users across the region.
The conviction marks a significant victory in the fight against opioid trafficking in Arkansas, and serves as a warning to those who would seek to profit from the suffering of others.
Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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