United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia

10/06/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/06/2026 15:23

Transcontinental Fentanyl Trafficker 'Fat Bags' Sentenced to 128 Months in Wide-Ranging Narcotics Conspiracy

WASHINGTON - Karon Olufemi Blalock, 32, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 128 months in federal prison for his role in a transcontinental narcotics trafficking conspiracy that smuggled tens of thousands of fentanyl pills from California to the D.C. area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"Let me be crystal clear: When you flood our communities with a poison as deadly as fentanyl, you are waging war on the people who live here," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "This sentence is about accountability, and it is a message to every narcotics trafficker. The days of exploiting our neighborhoods for profit at the cost of human lives are over."

Blalock, also known as "Fat Bags," pleaded guilty on Oct. 16, 2025, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 128-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Blalock to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 135-month sentence. Blalock is the 21st defendant to be sentenced in connection with this case.

According to court documents, from August 2020 through November 9, 2023, Blalock participated in a multi-kilogram fentanyl trafficking operation that moved counterfeit oxycodone pills from Southern California to metropolitan Washington.

Blalock traveled dozens of times to Los Angeles to purchase bulk quantities of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and smuggle them back to the District either through luggage and carryon bags or via commercial mail carriers. He coordinated directly with a Los Angeles-based trafficker and relied on social media accounts to redistribute the dangerous counterfeit pills to D.C. customers.

For example, Blalock traveled to Los Angeles on Dec. 10, 2022. That same day, the Los Angeles-based supplier sent a coded text message: "I got you at 50 cents." Blalock responded by "loving" the message - signaling his agreement to the price of 50 cents per pill. The next day, the supplier texted: "When you tryna link?" Blalock replied: "Hilton Pasadena. Pull up on me." The two men later completed the transaction.

Court filings further reveal that Blalock expanded his criminal activities by utilizing SBA-approved bank account credentials and Social Security number in order to submit a falsified tax form claiming $100,000 in fraudulent sole proprietorship earnings. Blalock in turn received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan disbursements of $20,833 each. Blalock separately obtained $22,224 in pandemic-related unemployment insurance funds, diverting critical public resources intended for legitimate individuals in need. Blalock in turn used these fraudulently-obtained funds in furtherance of his fentanyl trafficking in the District of Columbia.

Joining in today's announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cindy M. Marx of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Postal Inspector in Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.

The prosecutions in this case followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, in partnership with the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The investigation received additional support from the DEA's Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Divisions, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland, Sheriff's Office. Valuable assistance was also provided by the U.S. Attorney's Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris Y. McCranie of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.

DEFENDANT

LOCATION

CHARGES/SENTENCE

Hector David Valdez,

aka "Curl"

28

Santa Fe Springs, California

Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Craig Eastman

22

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced Feb. 6, 2025, to 165 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.

Charles Jeffrey Taylor

22

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced to 98 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Raymond Nava, Jr.

22

Bell Gardens,

California

Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Ulises Aldaz

29

Bell Gardens,

California

Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Max Alexander Carias Torres

28

Bell Gardens,

California

Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

Teron Deandre McNeil, aka "Wild Boy"

36

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced Jan. 5, 2026, to 120 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; Conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Marvin Anthony Bussie,

aka "Money Marr"

23

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Marcus Orlando Brown

30

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced Oct. 3, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Columbian Thomas, aka "Cruddy Murda"

28

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced Oct. 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

36

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Andre Malik Edmond,

aka "Draco"

25

Temple Hills, Maryland

Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Treyveon James Johnson,

aka "Treyski"

22

Alexandria, Virginia

Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Karon Olufemi Blalock,

aka "Fat Bags"

31

Alexandria, Virginia

Sentenced Oct. 6, 2026, to 128 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Ronte Ricardo Greene,

aka "Cardiddy"

30

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced July 18, 2025, to 108 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka "21"

40

Washington, D.C.

Sentenced June 20, 2025, to 75 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Darius Quincy Hodges,

aka "Brick"

35

Glen Allen, Virginia

Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Lamin Sesay,

aka "Rock Star"

29

Alexandria, Virginia

Sentenced May 30, 2025, to 110 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Paul Alejandro Felix

27

Glendale,

California

Sentenced Nov. 12, 2024, to 164 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Omar Arana,

aka "Frogs"

28

Cudahy,

California

Sentenced May 2, 2025, to 93 months, for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka "Nano"

28

San Diego,

California

Sentenced May 8, 2025, to 148 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Raul Pacheco Ramirez

32

Long Beach,

California

Sentenced Nov. 26, 2024, to 95 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Giovani Alejandro Briones

32

Victorville, California

Sentenced Feb. 20, 2025, to 90 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

28

Rosarito, Mexico

Sentenced Mar. 6, 2026, to 235 months for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

23cr073

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