Little Rock Man to Spend Life in Prison Following Conviction for Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Death

      LITTLE ROCK—After hearing four days of testimony, a federal jury found that Arthur Joyner distributed fentanyl pills to a man who died after ingesting those pills two days later. That transaction, which resulted in a conviction for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, will keep Joyner, 43, of Little Rock, in prison for the rest of his life. On Thursday, following the four-day trial, the jury convicted Joyner of the charge after 45 minutes of deliberation.

      On March 5, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Joyner on the single count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The jury returned the verdict to United States District Judge Brian S. Miller, who will sentence Joyner at a later date. Due to Joyner’s prior criminal record, which includes a serious felony drug conviction among other violent felony convictions, Joyner is facing a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Joyner will remain in federal custody while awaiting sentencing.

      The evidence presented at trial showed that on October 13, 2023, an acquaintance of Joyner’s requested oxycodone pills from Joyner because this person had injured his back while working. The acquaintance specifically told Joyner to make sure the pills were real oxycodone, and not fake pills. Along with the request, the individual sent Joyner articles describing how fentanyl is being pressed and produced to look like oxycodone pills. Joyner responded, “they are real” and proceeded to send a picture of numerous blue pills with an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other, which purported to be oxycodone pills.

      Joyner then sold the individual three of those blue pills the next day, October 14, from a residence in Little Rock. The pills in fact contained fentanyl, and not oxycodone. According to testimony at trial, the individual took one of those pills at a hotel in Searcy sometime late in the evening on October 15, and then another one in the hotel between 8 and 9 a.m. on October 16. He stopped breathing within minutes of snorting the second fentanyl pill, and was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:23 a.m.

      The evidence at trial indicated that Joyner sold the three fentanyl pills for $30 and had been selling cocaine to the victim and others in the weeks prior to selling the fentanyl pills.

      In addition to the mandatory life sentence, the drug charge carries a fine penalty of up to $1,000,000. There is no parole in the federal system.

      The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, with assistance from the Searcy Police Department and the White County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Bryant and Chris Givens prosecuted the case.

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United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

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