Man Charged With Selling Deadly Carfentanil-Laced Heroin

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal authorities in Minnesota have charged a man with selling heroin that was laced with the deadly drug carfentanil.

According to a criminal complaint, 34-year-old John Henry Edmonds sold the carfentanil-laced heroin to an informant between July 21 and Aug. 22.

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid that killed 11 people in Minnesota between January and April. The criminal complaint doesn't say whether Edmonds is suspected of supplying the drug in any of those cases.

The opioid is relatively new to Minnesota and is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 stronger than fentanyl. It's used as a tranquilizer for elephants or other large animals.

Court records show a federal defender has been appointed to represent Edmonds. A message left Tuesday was not immediately returned.