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Press Release

Two Huntsville Men Arrested for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl That Caused a Death

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Alabama

BIRMINGHAM – Federal agents arrested two Huntsville men for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid painkiller, which resulted in a death, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris.

A two-count indictment charges Antonio Lavar Burton, a/k/a Fat Tony, 35, and Quincy Cortez McClendon, 35, with conspiring to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, that resulted in a death in November 2017 in Madison County.  The grand jury returned the indictment against Burton and McClendon in August 2019. 

“A tiny fraction of a gram of fentanyl can be lethal, and as dealers add it to more and more drugs, it is causing both fatal and non-fatal overdoses,” Town said.  “Death and destruction of this criminal behavior will not be tolerated, and will be severely punished.”

“Time and time again we have warned drug dealers that we will relentlessly and aggressively bring them to justice in order to protect our children and communities,” Morris said. “We will not sit idly by while drug dealers continue to plague our streets with any drugs, especially fentanyl.”

The penalty for distributing a controlled substance that results in death is 20 years to life in prison and a maximum $1 million fine.

DEA investigated the case, in partnership with the Huntsville Police Department and the Madison County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Marshals Service, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Becher Sr. is prosecuting. 

An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Updated September 12, 2019

Topic
Opioids