White Earth Felon Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Possession of a Firearm

MINNEAPOLIS – A Ponsford man has been sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon and distributing fentanyl on the White Earth Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. 

According to court documents, in January 2022, law enforcement received information that Francis Edward Durant, 52, was selling controlled substances from his residence on the White Earth Reservation. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Durant’s residence and recovered quantities of fentanyl, a loaded Smith & Wesson .45 caliber handgun, $9,612 in cash, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia. Because Durant has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition at any time.

Durant pleaded guilty on December 5, 2022, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm as a felon. Durant was sentenced today in U.S. District Court before Senior Judge Joan N. Ericksen.

This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the White Earth Police Department and the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott.