Two Evansville men are accused of making and trafficking fentanyl-laced pills. WNIN’s John Gibson has details:
A federal grand jury indicted 29-year-old Ethan Parker and 30-year-old Joshua Harvey.
Parker is accused of obtaining “pound quantities” of fentanyl from the Louisville area and making counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills using a pill press.
Parker allegedly supplied Harvey with the pills, which authorities say were sold via the dark web using crypto currency.
Mike Gannon of the DEA says it’s disturbing:
"It wasn't the Mexican cartels, it was individuals in Evansville manufacturing their own fentanyl."
U.S. Attorney Zachary Myers emphasized technology won’t stop police:
"You are not safe as a criminal behind a keyboard. You are not safe behind an encrypted messaging app. We will devote the resources. We will get behind the technological tools that you think are going to protect you."
During a news conference at the federal building, Evansville Police Assistant Chief Phil Smith noted a record high number of local overdoses:
"When you hear these big numbers nationally sometimes you kind of desensitize to them because it's not your neighborhood or your backyard. But when you hear the numbers in your community — last year was the largest number of overdoses we've had — it hits home"
Authorities warn that traffickers of fentanyl-laced pills don’t care who they hurt or kill.
A tiny amount of the substance can be fatal.