Andrew M. Luger, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota
A federal jury has found Eric Marcel Turner, also known as Xavier Thomas, guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal firearm possession. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that on April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, rented by Turner under an alias. During the search, officers discovered over 300 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm.
Turner has multiple prior felony convictions, including a federal drug trafficking offense for which he served several years in federal prison. Due to these convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The trial took place over three days before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court. The jury concluded that Turner was guilty of both possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The investigation leading to this conviction was conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the West Metro Drug Task Force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Allen A. Slaughter were responsible for prosecuting the case.
