United States Drug Enforcement Administration

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.- Michael Gannon, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis and U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana announced William Henry Cook, 27, of Muncie, Indiana, has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, in February of 2023, law enforcement officials became aware of William Henry Cook selling fentanyl out of his residence in Muncie, Indiana.

On March 2, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Cook’s residence. Cook was present at the time the search warrant was executed. The search resulted in the discovery of 2,999 counterfeit pills, later analyzed and found to contain a total of 341.01 grams of fentanyl. In addition to the fentanyl, officers also found approximately $13,614 in U.S. currency and five firearms, including a loaded Sig Sauer 9 mm semiautomatic handgun that was previously stolen from an Indiana State Police trooper.

In an interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted that he sold counterfeit M-30 fentanyl pills to as many as ten people per day.

At the time of the search, Cook was prohibited from possessing firearms due to his 2018 felony conviction of Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury in Delaware County.

“Fentanyl dealers value their profits far more than the lives of our families and neighbors,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We must fight to save lives by investigating and prosecuting the armed drug traffickers who exploit the epidemic of substance use disorder. Our office, the DEA, and Indiana State Police are committed to holding fentanyl traffickers accountable for pushing deadly poison on our streets.”

“The DEA would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their diligent work in prosecuting this important case. DEA will continue to partner with local, state, and federal agencies to hold accountable drug dealers who recklessly distribute deadly poisons, like fentanyl,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Gannon.

“The Indiana State Police will continue to engage with, and provide the necessary resources to its federal, county, and local law enforcement partners in an effort to not only keep these dangerous and potentially deadly drugs out of our communities, but to also hold those responsible for transporting and trafficking them into those communities,” said Indiana State Police Captain Ron Galaviz.

The DEA and Indiana State Police investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Judge Young also ordered that Cook be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years following his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Barry D. Glickman, who prosecuted this case.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.