United States Drug Enforcement Administration

INDIANAPOLIS - Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis, and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Frank Nelson, 45, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2021, DEA officials executed a search warrant at Frank Nelson’s Indianapolis residence for financial documents in connection to an ongoing drug trafficking and money laundering investigation. Nelson was taken into custody upon opening the door for investigators.

During a search of Nelson’s home, officers located a black Puma backpack in the laundry room that contained several clear plastic bags of white powder and brown chunky substances. Shortly after this discovery, law enforcement officers obtained a second search warrant for the same residence to search for narcotics and other instrumentalities. The backpack was searched and found to contain approximately three kilograms of fentanyl, 1.6 kilograms of cocaine and half a kilogram of heroin. According to the DEA, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage. 

In searching Nelson’s master bedroom, agents located a 9mm semiautomatic pistol in a nightstand and a semiautomatic rifle under the bed. Agents also located $90,310 in U.S. currency. Inside Nelson’s bedroom closet, agents located a black Nike duffle bag containing 16 taped, brick-shaped objects (approximately one kilogram each) filled with cocaine. 

In his guilty plea, Nelson admitted that the seized substances contained fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, and that he possessed the drugs with the intent to sell them.

At the time of his arrest, Nelson was on bond after being charged in 2020 with dealing cocaine in Hendricks County, Indiana.

“We may never know exactly how many lives this defendant is responsible for ruining to satisfy his greed,” said U.S. Attorney Myers. “Substance abuse disorders take lives and devastate families in all zip codes and of all walks of life. We are grateful to our partners at the DEA and IMPD for investigating this case and taking many kilograms of dangerous drugs off of our streets.”

“The sentence imposed on Mr. Nelson was justified,” said ASAC Gannon. “Despite being out on bond for a drug offense, Mr. Nelson continued to distribute kilogram quantities of lethal fentanyl, heroin and cocaine while possessing firearms to facilitate his drug trafficking activities. The DEA remains committed to working hand in hand with our state, local and federal partners in order to keep our communities safe. The DEA commends the outstanding work by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office.”

The DEA and IMPD Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney. Judge Sweeney also ordered that Nelson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years following his release from federal prison.

U.S Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted the case.