Macon street gang member gets life in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking, more

A street gang member who ran an armed drug organization in Macon was sentenced to life in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Thursday.

Prosecutors said Kenneth Emanuel Pertillo Jr. sold drugs laced with fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid. Pertillo, also known as “Fat Boy,” according to prosecutors, was convicted at his trial in October of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. His co-defendant, Johnifer Dernard Barnwell, was also convicted at trial of the same charges and possession of a firearm for drug trafficking. Pertillo was sentenced Wednesday.

“This armed criminal organization was circulating large quantities of fentanyl and other deadly combinations of illicit drugs laced with fentanyl through our neighborhoods, putting many people in mortal danger and degrading everyone's safety,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary in a press release. release.

“Working alongside law enforcement at all levels, our office will continue to leverage all available investigative and prosecutorial tools to reduce violent crime and keep communities safe.”

The FBI began investigating the large-scale drug ring in March 2020 and identified Pertillo and Barnwell as distributors, according to the press release. Prosecutors say they were part of the criminal street gang “Mafia.”

In that case, FBI agents purchased drugs from other defendants and wiretapped five phones used by members of the organization, including Barnwell, according to prosecutors. The sales took place at traps on Mimosa Drive and Culver Street as well as at a local nightclub.

Heroin sold to FBI agents often tested as a fentanyl mixture, prosecutors say.

On July 20, 2021, the FBI executed search warrants at eleven Macon trap and distribution locations on Forest Hill Road, Riverside Park Boulevard, Lucerne Drive, Shurling Drive, and Kingsview Drive as well as locations where the defendants sold drugs. heroin to agents, prosecutors. said.

They found 8 kilograms of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and cocaine base. They also found 20 guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity gun magazines and more than $50,000 in cash, prosecutors said.

The FBI also raided an apartment identified as a drug lab on Riverside Park Boulevard, where Barnwell and Pertillo mixed fentanyl and heroin in a kitchen blender before selling them, prosecutors said. In the apartment, FBI agents found 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of pure fentanyl, more than 1 kilogram of a chemical analogue of pure fentanyl, more than 2 kilograms of mixtures containing fentanyl, heroin and a mixture of fentanyl analogues.

Officers also found half a kilo of pure heroin, more than 280 grams of cocaine base, 80 grams of cocaine and 64 grams of ketamine, several firearms, a fully loaded AR-14 drum magazine, ammunition and $5,778 in cash at that location, according to prosecutors. say.

Overall, the organization is responsible for distributing or possessing with intent to distribute more than 3 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl analogue, 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 2 kilograms of heroin and significant quantities of cocaine base and cocaine.

Pertillo was sentenced to life in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

Thirteen other co-defendants were sentenced in this case, with sentences ranging from probation to 25 years in prison.