South Deerfield man will answer fentanyl charges in Kansas

SOUTH DEERFIELD — The South Deerfield man being charged with five counts of distributing fentanyl and five counts of selling counterfeit drugs has been ordered to appear in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, next month.

Anthony Stokes, 32, is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Teresa J. James at 2:30 p.m. July 18. A federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in Kansas charges Stokes with distributing counterfeit oxycodone pills containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a statement Wednesday. The indictment alleges the crimes occurred in the Wyandotte County of Kansas from December 2018 through February 2019.

Information from Jim Cross, public information officer for McAllister, indicates that Stokes came before Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in Massachusetts on Tuesday and was released on conditions.

The indictment alleges Stokes sold 114 tablets with counterfeit identifying marks belonging to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. The tablets contained more than 14.6 grams of fentanyl. If convicted, Stokes faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine on the fentanyl charges, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the counterfeit drug charges.

Investigating agencies included U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of Massachusetts State Police, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Anti-Crime Task Force, and the Whately and Deerfield police departments.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley is prosecuting.

Northwestern District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Mary Carey confirmed in a statement Wednesday morning that federal agents executed search warrants in Whately, South Deerfield and Greenfield. Vehicles and men were seen entering and exiting a property at 223 State Road in Whately on Tuesday. Whately Police Chief James Sevigne Jr. confirmed at the time that federal agents were conducting an operation at the home. He said his department was involved in, but not in charge of, the operation.

Cross said he is not aware of any charges filed in connection with the other executed searches.

Reach Domenic Poli at dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.