North Texas man, Michigan woman charged in scheme to send drug‑infused pages to inmates, prosecutors say

Federal prosecutors say a North Texas man and a Michigan woman were indicted for buying synthetic opioids and other synthetic drugs from China, soaking the liquid mixture into paper, and sending the drug‑infused pages to inmates across the country.

Adell Willis, 43, of Lewisville, and Judy Ly, 30, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were charged in a three‑count federal indictment in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced Friday.

Charges tied to prison drug smuggling

The two face counts for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute synthetic drugs and conspiracy to possess contraband in prison. Ly faces an additional possession‑with‑intent‑to‑distribute charge, authorities said.

According to prosecutors, the pair bought synthetic opioids, synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic stimulants and other controlled analogues from China starting in March 2023 before converting the drugs to liquid and sending drug‑soaked pages to inmates.

"Once the sheets of paper were saturated, they were then delivered to inmates at various federal and state correctional institutions across the country," the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas said.

Potential penalties and DOJ initiative

If convicted, Willis and Ly could face up to 20 years in federal prison each.

Part of Operation Take Back America, the case falls under a U.S. Department of Justice initiative targeting cartels, TCOs, illegal immigration, and violent crime.

CBS News Texas will provide updates should more information become available.