NORFOLK, Va. — Two men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a scheme to distribute fentanyl and other drugs by mail from California to Virginia, according to federal prosecutors.
Devin Joseph Stukes-McFarland, 27, of Virginia Beach, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. His co-conspirator, Brian Malik Williams, 27, of Modesto, California, received a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to similar charges, including aiding and abetting drug distribution.
From September 2021 to March 2023, Stukes-McFarland received roughly 70 packages from Williams, 15 of which contained fentanyl pills, Xanax pills, and ketamine. Williams, operating under the alias “Matty Ruger,” sent the parcels from California and accepted payments through digital platforms such as Cash App and Apple Pay. Stukes-McFarland sold the drugs locally, marketing the fentanyl pills as legitimate Percocet.
Authorities uncovered the conspiracy through controlled purchases and surveillance. On February 9 and March 2, 2023, the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted controlled purchases from Stukes-McFarland, obtaining hundreds of fentanyl pills. A subsequent investigation led to the interception of a March 24 parcel containing over 4,260 fentanyl pills, weighing 466 grams, along with 1,279 Xanax pills and other controlled substances.
“Fentanyl trafficking schemes like this one devastate communities and endanger lives,” said Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These sentences send a strong message to those who profit from the distribution of deadly drugs.”
The case was investigated by the DEA, VBPD, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West prosecuted the case.
Both men now face lengthy prison terms for their roles in trafficking fentanyl, a drug that continues to fuel the opioid epidemic across the United States.