ABINGDON, Va. (WRIC) — A Virginia teen, who ordered hundreds of fentanyl-laced pills through Snapchat from a supplier in California, has been sentenced to 42 months in federal prison.
19-year-old Kobe Malik Woods pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
“Throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the nation, individuals are struggling with substance abuse disorder, a disease fueled by those who profit from addiction,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said. “Fentanyl-laced pills pose a significant risk of death to anyone who ingests them, and my office will continue to bring individuals to account for trafficking these deadly drugs in our communities.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Stanley M. Meador, reiterated the importance of getting the drugs off the streets.
“Our mission is to protect the American people. This includes doing our part working with our local and federal law enforcement partners to identify and arrest those responsible for introducing these pills, or any illicit drug, into our communities,” Meador said.
Court documents stated, in early 2021, law enforcement began to investigate a flood of illegal pill distribution in Smyth County, Virginia. Investigators identified multiple people who were involved. They intercepted a parcel shipped from California and addressed to Woods’s residence that contained approximately 800 fentanyl pills.
The Department of Justice said the intercepted pills resembled pharmaceutical-grade oxycodone-hydrochloride pills and were inconsistent in shape, size and color. According to DoJ, that indicated the pills were counterfeit. Pills of this type are sometimes referred to as “Roxicodone,” “pressed,” or “M30” pills. The pills often have an imprint of an “M” on one side and a “30” on the other side.
In June 2021, law enforcement executed a controlled delivery of the parcel to Woods’s home in Marion, Va. While conducting surveillance, the investigators saw a woman retrieve the package and take it inside. Investigators executed a search warrant and Woods attempted to escape with the parcel in his hands but was captured a short distance away from the home.
