Grand Rapids, Mich. (WLNS) — A Michigan man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine disguised as prescription pills and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
During an August 2021 traffic stop, Michigan State Police in Muskegon found Roddrick Montez Wilson, 26, in possession of 15,000 fake pills that appeared to be the prescription drug Adderall but were in fact methamphetamine.
“Counterfeit pills pose a significant danger to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Mark A. Totten. “There are often devastating consequences for drug users who ingest fake pills bought off the street.”
Wilson intended to sell the pills, worth an estimated $75,000, and possessed a stolen firearm in furtherance of that crime, officials said. Further investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that law enforcement in Grand Rapids encountered Wilson in February and June 2021 and found smaller quantities of the fake pills on both occasions.
According to the DEA, there has been a nationwide surge in fake prescription pills. Between August and December 2021, police seized almost 10 million fake pills.