Alleged Leader Of Fentanyl Pill Trafficking Operation Appears In Court On Federal Drug Charges

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The alleged leader of a fentanyl pill trafficking operation appeared in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Rahkim T. Franklin, 31, of Charlotte, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Roger "Chip" Hawley, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg of the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office join U.S. Attorney King in making today's announcement.

According to allegations in the indictment and court proceedings, from November 2022 to March 2024, Franklin was the leader of a drug operation that manufactured and distributed large quantities of fentanyl pills in and around Mecklenburg county. Court documents and court proceedings show that the drug conspiracy utilized a house in Charlotte as the pill press operation. Investigators executed a federal search warrant at the house on March 7, 2024, where they seized an electric pill press, more than 500 grams of vacuum sealed fentanyl, nearly 1,000 fentanyl tablets, over 30 pounds of fentanyl mixed with suspected pill binder, and other material and paraphernalia consistent with the production of fentanyl pills. The investigation revealed that Franklin and his co-conspirators were manufacturing the fentanyl pills to appear to be prescription Oxycodone pills based on their color and imprint.

Following today's court hearing, Franklin was remanded into custody. The drug conspiracy charge and the charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in prison.

The charges against Franklin are allegations, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The ATF, the SBI and the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence Cameron and Tom Kent of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.