A man from Covington, Louisiana has been sentenced to 84 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to possess fentanyl with the intention of distributing it across state borders. The verdict was announced in Biloxi, Mississippi.
On Thursday, the U.S. District Court in Gulfport sentenced Santana Phillipe Elzy, 23.
Court documents reveal that the case initially started on August 29, 2023, when the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the Drug Enforcement Administration agents acted on a written complaint about drug trafficking at Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis.
Agents conducting surveillance observed a red Toyota Camry arriving at the motel to pick up two individuals suspected of drug trafficking. Following the departure of the vehicle, agents trailed it across state lines. The individuals inside the car were subsequently identified as:
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- Christopher Fricke
- Kolby Sims
- Emma Stoute
- Dakari Sykes
The authorities kept a close watch as the four individuals participated in a drug transaction with Elzy at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Louisiana. Following the exchange, the Camry was trailed back to Mississippi, where law enforcement agents stopped the car and conducted a thorough search. The search resulted in the recovery of approximately 1,000 pills containing fentanyl, which were confirmed to have been sold by Elzy to the group for distribution throughout South Mississippi.
On March 4, 2024, Elzy admitted to conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intention of distributing it.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.
