California Man Convicted of Fentanyl Trafficking

COVINGTON, Ky.- A Carson, California, man, Genghis Stevenson, 48, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal jury in Covington of possession with intent to distribute an aggravated quantity of fentanyl. Stevenson was convicted following a 2-day trial.

Law enforcement learned that Stevenson was a passenger on a flight from the Greater Cincinnati Airport to Los Angeles on March 28, 2024, and encountered Stevenson as he was about to board the plane. Over $15,000 in cash was seized from his carry-on bag along with 251 grams of fentanyl from his checked bag.

Stevenson has a violent history, including felony convictions for second degree robbery and taking of a motor vehicle from possession of another by a means of force and fear (carjacking).

"On National Fentanyl Awareness Day, we acknowledge the widespread presence of fentanyl infiltrating our communities, but this conviction makes it clear that those responsible for trafficking it will be held accountable. Trafficking this poison is not a victimless crime-it fuels addiction, devastates families, and puts lives at risk every single day," said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. "Our Office, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in identifying, disrupting, and prosecuting those who choose to profit from this crisis. We will continue to hold offenders accountable and protect the public from the dangers of fentanyl."

Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Scott Schwartz, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, jointly announced the conviction.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The U.S. Attorney's Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.

Stevenson will appear for sentencing on August 21, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year term of imprisonment and could face up to life in prison.

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