U.S. District Court Judge John A. Ross accepted a plea of guilty from Markquis Bryant Feb. 28 for the crime of distribution of a controlled substance related to an overdose death. Judge Ross set sentencing for June 14, 2022.

According to the plea agreement, Bryant knowingly and intentionally distributed a controlled substance on or about March 6, 2020. The investigation began on March 7, when officers with the Florissant Police Department were dispatched to a residence to investigate a fatal narcotics overdose. Investigators were able to determine that the victim had purchased from Bryant the fentanyl that caused the overdose on March 6.

Investigators then conducted an undercover operation in which fentanyl was purchased from Bryant at his residence in the 5300 block of Queens Avenue in St. Louis. On March 26, 2020, a federal search warrant was executed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Florissant Police Department, with assistance from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. While executing the search warrant, law enforcement located five firearms, including a Glock .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Sig Sauer .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a Rohm GMBH .22 magnum caliber revolver, a Mossberg International, .22 LR caliber firearm, and an Intratec AB-10 Model .9 mm caliber firearm, as well as an extended magazine. Also seized were large quantities of suspected heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine.

The DEA investigated this case with the Florissant Police Department and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.