A Salisbury man linked to a fantanyl exposure death in 2017 pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess and to distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.

The guilty plea by Narada Walls, 38, was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

Fentanyl analogues are chemical compounds designed to have effects similar to fentanyl and can be as deadly, according to a news release.

According to the plea agreement, in fall 2017, law enforcement began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in Baltimore, which was responsible for importing and distributing fentanyl and fentanyl analogue substances. 

The investigation revealed that Walls was part of the conspiracy and used assumed names and a fake email address to purchase methoxyacetyl fentanyl directly from suppliers in China, according to the release.

Walls had this product shipped to addresses of his acquaintances along the Eastern Shore to distance himself from the packages. Walls imported more than 1.5 kilograms of methoxyacetyl fentanyl in this manner, the U.S. attorney’s office said in the release.

In September and November 2017, a confidential source purchased fentanyl analogue substances from Walls, at the direction of law enforcement.  On each occasion, Walls brought the drugs to Baltimore, where he met with the source.  

During their interactions Walls discussed with the source the potency of this product and how it needed to be diluted with cutting agents or offered only to experienced drug users, or else overdoses could occur. 

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In December 2017, authorities executed a search warrant at Walls’ residence in Salisbury where they found a safe containing approximately 419 grams of methoxyacetyl fentanyl and approximately $18,650 in drug proceeds.  

Other drug-related paraphernalia recovered from Walls’ bedroom included a blender, a digital scale and packaging materials, according to the release.   

Walls told authorities that in June 2017, he was in a relationship with a recovering heroin user. According to a witness, on June 14, 2017, Walls asked this woman to clean up the kitchen,  where Walls mixed his drug product.  In the process of cleaning up the blender in the kitchen, the victim ingested some of this fentanyl analogue product.  

At approximately 6:15 pm, Walls found the victim on the kitchen floor. Paramedics were called, and she was later pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that the woman’s death was caused by her exposure to this fentanyl analogue product.

 As part of his plea agreement, Walls will be required to forfeit any items of value seized during search of his home and vehicle, including $18,650 in cash seized from his residence in December 2017, and $11,000 in cash seized from his vehicle in June 2017.   

Prosecutors will recommend a 12-year sentence for Walls under the plea agreement.

 U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III has scheduled sentencing for June 21  at 11:30 a.m., the release said.

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