Man sentenced to federal prison in Montgomery for fentanyl conspiracy involving shipments to Alabama

A man has been sentenced in federal court in Montgomery for being part of a conspiracy to bring fentanyl into Alabama.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson said that 32-year-old Shanarion Lee of La Mesa, California, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role in the conspiracy.

Davidson said Lee pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced yesterday. The court also ordered Lee to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records and Lee’s plea agreement, the investigation began in March 2023 when the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began investigating a suspected drug-trafficking network transporting fentanyl from California to Alabama.

Investigators determined that Lee conspired with others, including 32-year-old Hillary Lewis of Lemon Grove, California, and 35-year-old James Walker of Enterprise, Alabama, to ship illegal controlled substances to various addresses within the Middle District of Alabama.

Earlier this year, both Lewis and Walker entered guilty pleas to federal drug conspiracy charges. They are awaiting sentencing.

Davidson said throughout 2023 and 2024, federal agents intercepted multiple packages containing pills designed to look like legitimate oxycodone tablets. Laboratory analysis later confirmed that the pills were counterfeit and contained fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

— Information from the Office of U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Alabama