Detroit business owner convicted of possessing over 42 kilograms of fentanyl

A Detroit gas station owner has been convicted of possessing over 42 kilograms of fentanyl in the basement of his stash house, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon announced Thursday.

Barry Willis, 58, of Clinton Township, was convicted of several federal crimes stemming from his involvement with a Detroit-based stash house that held over 42 kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press and other materials used to manufacture fentanyl pills, federal prosecutors say.

The Livonia Police Department Intelligence Bureau executed search warrants at three locations connected to Willis on March 28, 2024. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, officers searched Willis' primary residence in Clinton Township and his gas station and stash house, both in Detroit.

In the basement of the stash house, officers recovered over 42 kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, as well as a hoard of materials for manufacturing fentanyl pills, such as a commercial pill press, narcotics scales and drug recipes, according to the attorney's office.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says that officers also found two handguns at the stash house, a handgun and $134,000 in cash at Willis' residence and another handgun at his gas station.

On Monday, a jury convicted Willis of possession of over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and unlawful possession of a pill press, federal prosecutors say.

Willis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment, with sentencing set for Jan. 11, 2027. The case is assigned to Judge Laurie J. Michelson of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Joseph O. Dixon, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in the Detroit Division and Livonia Police Chief Thomas Goralski. 

"Forty kilograms of fentanyl represents an astonishing 20 million potentially deadly doses—enough poison to threaten every man, woman and child in Detroit and across Michigan. Fentanyl is a weapon being used to fuel addiction, destroy families, and drive violence in American communities. We will relentlessly pursue the cartels and traffickers responsible, seize their drugs and money, dismantle their networks, and use every resource at our disposal to protect American lives and make America fentanyl-free," Dixon said.

"This major seizure of fentanyl has saved lives. The great partnerships we have with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels in southeast Michigan enable us to make these types of investigations successful," said Goralski.