By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
TAYLOR — A federal grand jury indicted Barry Brown Jr., 28, of Taylor for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute, and forfeiture allegation according to a Feb. 12 U.S. District of North Dakota news release.
The controlled substances include oxycodone, fentanyl, and fentanyl-related substance.
Last month, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Brown’s Bismarck hotel room where they seized approximately 2,000 opiate pills that were made and designed to look like actual oxycodone 30 milligram pills, but contained fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance.
A total of $66,000 was seized by agents with $24,000 from the hotel room and another $42,000 from Brown himself in January.
“This seizure of deadly fentanyl with a street value of approximately $160,000 is another direct hit against the poison pushers who we allege have targeted our Native American communities,” U.S. Attorney Drew Wrigley said.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Metro Area Narcotics Task Force and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s office with Assistant United States Attorney Rick Volk assigned to the case.
According to the news release, grand jury indictments are allegations and are not evidence of guilt so Brown is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)