Massillon man indicted for importing fentanyl from China

A Massillon man was indicted for illegally importing fentanyl from China, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.

Daniel Stolte, 29, was indicted on one count of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of importing fentanyl.

Stolte imported 40 grams or more of fentanyl from China on March 15 and March 22. On March 22, he possessed approximately 100 grams of fentanyl with the intent of distributing the drug, according to the indictment.

“The drugs that are killing our friends, relatives and neighbors are flowing into the United States from other countries,” Sierleja said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to shut off those pipelines.”

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security HSI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bulford.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.