Hennepin County prosecutors charge 6 with trying to sell over 34 pounds of fentanyl

Six people are now facing criminal charges after law enforcement recently found more than 34 pounds of fentanyl along with guns and other drugs in Hennepin County.

While the cases aren’t connected, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says the charges come after efforts by several local law enforcement agencies and teams, including members of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office Violent Offender Task Force, the Anoka-Hennepin Violent Crime Task Force, officers within the Minneapolis, Fridley and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) police departments, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

“These cases are the result of incredible work by our law enforcement partners to seize these narcotics and arrest those trying to spread them throughout our communities,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. “We have a public health crisis in our neighborhoods because of the fentanyl flooding the streets. We will not rest in our efforts to bring to justice those who seek to destroy our communities with these deadly drugs.”

Authorities say between two and three milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, meaning the fentanyl seized could’ve killed nearly 8 million people.

The attorney’s office also notes that all drug overdoses — fatal and nonfatal — have continued to increase in Hennepin County for several years, with overdoses more than doubling in the county since 2018. More than 82% of fatal overdoses in the county involved opioids, officials say.

Those charged in the cases are:

• Matthew Kenneth Rewald, 28, from Minneapolis.
• Pierre Lamont Flowers, 35, from Eden Prairie.
• Dejuan White, 27, from Chicago.
• Gregory Jerome Collins, 44, from Minneapolis.
• Kortney Ann Roe, 43, from Moline, Illinois.
• Kevon Paul Fenner, 22, from St. Paul.

Court documents state that Rewald was found at the Radisson Red hotel in downtown Minneapolis on March 8 with suitcases that contained around four pounds of fentanyl, a gun and a drug press. Another gun and a money counter were found at his Minneapolis home. He’s charged with first-degree drug sale, which carries up to 40 years in prison if convicted, and illegal gun possession, which carries up to 15 years in prison.

Authorities found nearly eight pounds of meth, over a pound of cocaine, nearly three pounds of fentanyl as well as a short-barrel assault-style rifle and an industrial money counter at Flowers’ Eden Prairie home on March 15, court documents state. He faces four counts of first-degree aggravated controlled substance crime, each of which carries up to 40 years in prison if convicted, and two counts of illegal gun possession, which each carry up to 15 years in prison.

White was the target of a warrant that was seized at an apartment in the 1700 block of Nicollet Avenue on March 15. Court documents state authorities found more than eight pounds of fentanyl at the apartment, along with cocaine, heroin, a large amount of cash and a gun. He’s charged with first-degree aggravated controlled substance crime, which carries up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

Court documents state that Collins was found on March 15 with more than 13 pounds of fentanyl, three guns and a large amount of cash. He’s facing first-degree aggravated controlled substance crime, which carries up to 40 years in prison if convicted, and three counts of illegal gun possession, which each carry up to 15 years in prison.

Roe and Fenner were stopped at MSP when drug dogs alerted their handlers. Court documents state that officers found around 20,000 fentanyl pills, weighing nearly five pounds, packaged in her luggage after she was stopped at Terminal 1 on March 14. Fenner was stopped at Terminal 2 three days later and found with around 8,000 packaged fentanyl pills, weighing nearly two pounds. Roe and Fenner each face first-degree drug sale, which carries up to 40 years in prison if convicted, and Fenner is also charged with first-degree drug possession, which carries up to 30 years in prison.

The complaint also notes that Fenner told police he was flying in to pick up a bag and take it to a home in Maplewood. While he claimed he didn’t know what he was transporting, he admitted he suspected it was drugs and was set to be paid $500 when he made the delivery.

All six have already made their first court appearances and have omnibus hearings set for April or May. The attorney’s office notes it is working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to figure out the best venue for prosecuting the cases.