Ohio man sentenced for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl in Mississippi

Oxford, MS - A Dayton, Ohio man was sentenced on Friday to 96 months in prison for possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute it while he resided in Oxford, Mississippi in April 2021.

According to court documents, Justin Elkins, 35, previously pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to one count of attempting to possess fentanyl with intent to distribute the drug in Oxford in April 2021 after officers intercepted a package sent through the U.S. mail containing the drug. Elkins was sentenced Friday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock to 96 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

"The U.S. mail should never be used as a vehicle for distributing illicit drugs." said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. "We will do everything in our power to see that people who choose to illegally distribute dangerous drugs like fentanyl into our communities are held accountable."

"The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the U.S. Mails are not used as a tool to distribute deadly fentanyl to our communities," said Scott Fix, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division. "The sentence handed down today should serve as a reminder to other perpetrators that we remain steadfast with our law enforcement partners to bring those who engage in this activity to justice."

The U.S Postal Inspection Service, Oxford Police Department, and Lafayette County Sheriff's Office's Metro Narcotics Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Paul Roberts prosecuted the case.