Federal grand jury indicts North Carolina man on fentanyl charge

BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging William McKinney a/k/a Zell, 43, of Greensboro, NC, with distribution of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on November 12, 2023, McKinney sold fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Specifically, McKinney traveled from North Carolina to Buffalo and distributed approximately two kilograms of fentanyl.

McKinney was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was ordered detained. He’s been returned to custody in North Carolina, where he is facing unrelated charges.

The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the Eire County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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