Battle Creek man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on fentanyl charge
A Battle Creek man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on charges relating to possessing and intending to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan said.
Nazzarie Acoy Carmouche-Heath, 29, was sentenced Friday in federal court, after having pleaded guilty in August to the intent charge. He faced a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, authorities said.
"Prosecuting fentanyl dealers is always a priority for my office because this drug is particularly deadly. It is easy for casual drug users to overdose on this drug, especially when it is disguised as some other controlled substance like it was here," U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey said.
During a search of a Battle Creek home in March, officers found over 1 kilogram of fentanyl, two firearms, thousands of dollars of cash, and what appeared to be an area designed to manufacture counterfeit fentanyl pills, federal authorities said.
In addition, officers said they found over 4,000 blue pills that appeared to look like the opioid analgesic Oxycodone, but in fact, contained fentanyl.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Battle Creek Police Department then seized the drugs.