A Camden man has been charged with possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to traffic a felony controlled substance after 146 grams of fentanyl were shipped to a post office box in Hampton.
An affidavit from the 13th Judicial Drug Task Force states that on March 2, FBI task officer Austin McCuistion received a call from FBI task officer Houston Bradshaw in regards to a FedEx package that was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this year.
On Feb. 25, a customs officer examined a package addressed to “Steve Williamson” at a post office box in Hampton. According to the affidavit, when the package was X-rayed, customs officers noticed an anomaly, and when opened for an intrusive exam, the package was found to contain glow sticks and a plastic bag holding 146.6 grams of white pills.
The pills were later examined by a forensic chemist who stated they tested positive for fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid. At a recent roundtable discussion on the opioid crisis held in El Dorado, Dr. Cheryl May, director of the University of Arkansas Criminal Justice Institute, said fentanyl is 50-100 times as potent as morphine.
Customs informed the Department of Homeland Security, which assigned the case to a special agent. Records state that agent contacted Bradshaw, who arranged a controlled delivery of the package using fake narcotics.
Meanwhile, McCuiston attempted to identify “Steve Williamson” in Hampton, but found no one by that name, according to court records.
United States Postal Service Inspector David Barrett was contacted and authorities obtained an “application for post office service box” with the address listed on the packaging. Authorities reportedly found Brian Hanes as the person listed on the form.
Surveillance of the post office box reportedly showed that on March 7, Hanes arrived at the post office and took possession of the package. Video showed him throwing the packaging away and keeping the contents, according to court documents.
Calhoun County sheriff’s office Chief Deputy Daniel Foster and McCuistion conducted a traffic stop on Hanes’ vehicle. McCuistion asked Hanes if he had anything illegal in the vehicle and Hanes reportedly stated that he had narcotics. Hanes provided agents with consent to search his vehicle where 10 suspected hydrocodone pills were also collected, court records state.
The quantity of fentanyl and the manner in which it was received led agents to believe that it was not for personal use and would likely be distributed, according to court records.
Hanes is currently out on $10,000 bond.
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