Oregon man sentenced for trafficking kilograms of fentanyl and meth

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oregon man was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison for conspiracy to distribute massive amounts of both fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Sean Michael Johnson, 26, is a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation. Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Johnson and the undercover officer agreed on a deal for 2,000 fentanyl pills and Johnson arranged for the pills to be mailed from California to Manassas, Virginia. In February 2023, Johnson and the undercover officer agreed to another sale, this time for 5,000 fentanyl pills and one pound of meth, both of which were mailed to Manassas. The meth tested at an approximate 100% purity rate.

Johnson arranged two more sales with delivery through the mail to Manassas, each for 5,000 fentanyl pills and 10 pounds of meth. Johnson and the undercover officer then negotiated an in-person deal for 25,000 fentanyl pills, 20 pounds of meth, and a kilogram of fentanyl powder to take place in California with Johnson’s supplier. Only three-fourths of the fentanyl powder was available, but the rest of the deal went forward as agreed. Eventually, the undercover officer and Johnson’s supplier negotiated another California in-person sale directly, from which Johnson expected a cut of the proceeds for making the connection. After the supplier distributed 100 pounds of meth as part of the deal, both Johnson and the supplier were arrested on Dec. 6, 2023.

In the six controlled purchases, Johnson was involved in distributing 63.1 kilograms of meth, 4.4 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and 800 grams of fentanyl powder. Johnson pled guilty on Feb. 29.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Craig Kailimai, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.

The Los Angeles Police Department provided significant assistance on this case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-41.