A federal grand jury in Louisville has indicted five Louisville residents in a case involving fentanyl and firearms offenses, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky announced. The indictment issued on March 19, 2025, charges Abdulkadir Malindo, Abdulkadir Ali, Hussein Hussein, Henry Martinez, and Bilal Malindo with various offenses over several months.
The charges include conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl between October 28, 2024, and March 5, 2025. Abdulkadir Malindo faces additional charges for distribution of fentanyl, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, illegal possession of a machine gun, and firearms trafficking.
Specific instances include Malindo's possession of various firearms between November 2024 and March 2025, including a Glock Switch, defined as a machine gun under federal law. Other individuals face charges for distributing fentanyl and firearms possession related to drug trafficking.
All defendants have been arrested and had initial court appearances, except for Bilal Malindo, who remains in state custody awaiting a court appearance. If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years in prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment. Federal sentencing guidelines and statutory factors will guide the final sentencing decisions, as there is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation involves multiple agencies, including the ATF, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Kentucky State Police, and Louisville Metro Police Department. The prosecution is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts. The case is part of the Department of Justice's Operation Take Back America, targeting illegal immigration, drug cartels, and transnational criminal organizations.
It is important to note that an indictment is simply an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
