Lakota Tehya Wakley, Fentanyl Conspiracy, California 2025

Fresno, California - A Fresno County man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to a recent guilty plea. Lakota Tehya Wakley, 21, of Clovis, admitted to conspiring with Austin Lloyd Kerns, 53, of Fresno, and others to distribute the deadly synthetic opioid between November 18, 2024, and December 9, 2024.

According to court documents, Wakley was paid fees for connecting a fentanyl-overdose victim with Kerns to buy fentanyl pills. The victim purchased multiple pills from Kerns over the course of 48 hours before tragically overdosing and dying soon after.

The investigation into Wakley's activities began after a fentanyl-overdose death in Fresno. The Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), a multi-agency task force, worked to unravel the complex web of fentanyl distribution in the area.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are prosecuting the case, which is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program aimed at reducing the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high-impact areas.

Wakley is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The court will determine the actual sentence after considering applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Charges are pending against Kerns, who is scheduled for a status conference on March 26, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe. Kerns is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case highlights the ongoing struggle to combat the fentanyl crisis in California, and it serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of fentanyl trafficking. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor the case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/fresno-county-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-distribute-fentanyl