Akron Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Distribute Fentanyl Pills Labeled as Oxycodone

Acting U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Baeppler announced that Thomas Anthony Walker, Jr., 36, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson to more than five years, or 62 months, in prison after Walker pleaded guilty to attempting to possess and distribute 655 pills containing fentanyl that were labeled as oxycodone.

According to court documents, in April of 2021, a package was interdicted by a Postal Inspector with the United States Postal Inspector Service.  The package was suspected of containing drugs after a K9 unit detected the presence of narcotics.  Investigators later obtained a warrant, searched the package and retrieved 655 tablets labeled as oxycodone, which actually contained a total of 71 grams of fentanyl.

Investigators then conducted a controlled delivery and later arrested defendant Thomas Anthony Walker Jr. as he attempted to retrieve the package.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Akron Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Aaron P. Howell.