U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced on April 21 that a federal grand jury indicted eight individuals from Southwest Michigan on charges related to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and other offenses. Six additional defendants had previously been indicted in separate cases.
The indictments stem from an investigation into a group based in Benton Harbor accused of obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine and other drugs through out-of-state carriers. Authorities seized over 19 pounds of methamphetamine from a FedEx box sent from California to Bangor, Michigan in July 2025. In November 2025, law enforcement executed more than a dozen search warrants across several cities including Benton Harbor and Kalamazoo, resulting in the seizure of nearly one kilogram of fentanyl, over 500 grams of cocaine, more than $40,000 in cash, and multiple firearms.
“This investigation shows the power of collaboration among law enforcement agencies,” stated U.S. Attorney VerHey. “With the assistance of my office, various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies worked together to focus their efforts on disrupting the supply chain of some of the largest methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine traffickers in Southwest Michigan. We look forward to proving these defendants’ involvement in the drug trafficking and money laundering beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Detroit Field Office said: “Fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine continue to cause devastating harm in our communities, and we will not tolerate those who seek to profit from the distribution of these dangerous substances… We will continue our efforts to disrupt and dismantle individuals and organizations who distribute dangerous drugs in our region.”
The cases were investigated by multiple agencies as part of Operation Lake Effect under the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), established by executive order as joint operations led by federal departments.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan is part of the United States Department of Justice according to its official website. The office supports community health through heroin and opioid awareness efforts according to its official website, prosecutes federal crimes while managing civil litigation for the United States according to its official website, employs about 70 prosecutors along with support staff according to its official website, maintains staffed offices across Grand Rapids and Marquette with additional locations according to its official website, ranks among one of longest-standing districts nationally according to its official website, handles both prosecutions as well as civil cases while recovering government debts with coverage spanning approximately 1.6 million residents according to its official website.
Officials remind that all charges are accusations at this stage; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
