Jonathan D. Ross U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas
Twenty-seven individuals are in custody following a series of arrests conducted by federal and state authorities in Pulaski County, Arkansas. The defendants are accused of distributing large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in central Arkansas. This operation is part of an ongoing investigation into drug trafficking activities.
The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Jonathan D. Ross, alongside Warner Benson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Little Rock Field Office, made the announcement regarding these arrests.
A federal superseding indictment unsealed today identifies Eric Dillard and Jimmie McDaniels as leaders of this large-scale drug organization based in Little Rock. Law enforcement agencies collaborated to apprehend 27 out of 29 defendants named in the indictment this morning. Notably, Dillard was already under federal custody due to an indictment filed against him on September 11, 2024.
The indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 4, 2025, includes charges related to drug and gun crimes such as conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Additionally, there are charges involving felons possessing firearms and using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. A financial probe also resulted in money laundering charges against six individuals.
Ross emphasized the need for continued focus on investigations involving lethal drugs: “The lethality of fentanyl requires our continued resolve to prioritize these types of investigations,” he stated.
These arrests result from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation initiated in September 2023. The investigation involved multiple controlled purchases and seizures including approximately a pound of fentanyl and 19 firearms. It is believed that hundreds of pounds of fentanyl have been trafficked by this organization within Arkansas.
Law enforcement agents intercepted phone calls revealing discussions among conspiracy members about trafficking fentanyl and laundering profits through various channels. More than $100,000 in illegal proceeds were seized during the investigation.
DEA Assistant Special Agent Warner Benson remarked on the significance: “This morning’s arrest operation represents a significant blow to a criminal network that was flooding our communities with deadly fentanyl.”
Those arrested will face arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday. The joint effort included numerous law enforcement entities such as the DEA Little Rock District Office; FBI; U.S. Marshal Service; local police departments; state police; community corrections agencies; postal services; national guard units among others. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge is prosecuting the case.
