Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Lakota Tehya Wakley, a 21-year-old resident of Clovis, has entered a guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. This was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that between November 18, 2024, and December 9, 2024, Wakley collaborated with Austin Lloyd Kerns, 53, from Fresno, and others in distributing fentanyl. The investigation was initiated following a fentanyl overdose death in Fresno. On November 23, 2024, Wakley facilitated a connection between the overdose victim and Kerns for the purchase of fentanyl pills. The victim acquired these pills multiple times over the subsequent two days and succumbed to an overdose shortly after. Wakley received compensation for facilitating this connection.
The investigation into this case is conducted by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), which includes Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, as well as police departments from Fresno and Clovis. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are handling the prosecution.
Kerns faces pending charges and is scheduled for a status conference on March 26, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe. It is important to note that these charges are allegations; Kerns remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Wakley's sentencing is set for June 23, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff. He could face up to 20 years in prison; however, the actual sentence will be determined by considering statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case forms part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an initiative aimed at reducing deadly synthetic opioid supplies in high-impact areas while identifying wholesale distribution networks along with international and domestic suppliers. Launched by the Justice Department in July 2018, S.O.S. is active in the Eastern District of California among nine other federal districts.
