LAREDO, TX – Walter Wellington Somers, a 41-year-old from Lake Charles, Louisiana, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced for his role in a fentanyl trafficking operation. Somers received a 60-month sentence, followed by four years of supervised release, after pleading guilty on April 2, 2024, to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
The case unfolded on December 23, 2023, when staff at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Laredo alerted authorities to suspected drug activity in one of the rooms. Somers was caught attempting to re-enter the room, initially claiming he was there to address a broken television. A subsequent search revealed a silver zipper bag packed with clear plastic bags containing 2,319 small, blue pills imprinted with the “M-30” logo – a notorious indicator of counterfeit fentanyl.
Federal investigators quickly determined the pills contained fentanyl, and traced the source of supply back to Sinaloa, Mexico. Phone records and messages between Somers and an accomplice revealed a clear plan to collect funds and acquire narcotics. One audio message detailed an agreement: $700-$800 in exchange for 3,000 pills. A video sent by the accomplice showed bags of M-30 pills matching those seized at the hotel, cementing the connection.
“All too often, we hear tragic stories about someone’s young son or daughter dying after taking a single pill laced with fentanyl, and it’s people like this defendant who put that one lethal dose in their hand,” stated U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The seizure of Mr. Somers’ deadly wares kept these pills from hitting the streets and undoubtedly saved many lives.” Ganjei also praised the Embassy Suites staff for their vigilance in reporting the suspicious activity.
Acting DEA Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell emphasized the extreme danger of fentanyl, noting that only two milligrams can be a lethal dose. “Somers had thousands of fake fentanyl pills that could have devastated the Laredo community,” Kimbell said. “DEA is unwavering in its commitment to eradicate these dangerous drugs from our neighborhoods and bring those responsible for dealing these deadly drugs to justice.”
Somers remains in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. The investigation was a joint effort by the DEA and the Laredo Police Department, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Chamberlin and Brittany Jensen. This case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, the nation’s premier anti-crime task force. Resources on the dangers of fentanyl are available on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill
RELATED: Hartland Fentanyl Dealer Gets 14 Years
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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