Patrick Burton Strong, a resident of Bemidji, has been sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This development comes after his guilty plea to charges of fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a machinegun, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
Court documents reveal that between March 31 and April 20, 2024, Patrick Burton Strong, aged 29, was involved in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and was found illegally possessing a machinegun. On March 31, 2024, Strong, along with co-defendants Danielle Diane Goodman, 27, and Leticia Jean Sumner, 24, traveled from Bemidji to Minneapolis where Strong procured $10,000 worth of fentanyl.
The subsequent day, the trio was traveling back to Bemidji when a Minnesota State Patrol trooper stopped their vehicle due to traffic violations and suspected drug trafficking. A search revealed in Strong’s backpack approximately 100 grams of fentanyl powder, a privately manufactured 9mm pistol with an automatic conversion device, and a large-capacity magazine with over 30 rounds.
A search of Strong and Sumner’s apartment in Bemidji, following a warrant, uncovered a 12-gauge shotgun next to Strong’s belongings, plus 23 grams of methamphetamine. Further incidents at the Morrison County Jail saw Strong and Sumner found with around 30 grams of fentanyl.
"Strong possessed a gun equipped with a switch, an item with no purpose other than killing people," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. "He trafficked in fentanyl—the deadliest illegal drug commonly sold today. And he intended to sell that deadly fentanyl into Native communities in the Bemidji area, communities that experience the highest overdose rates in Minnesota. He is well-deserving of a 72-month federal sentence. Minnesota is safer with Strong off the streets."
On November 7, 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a machinegun. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Katherine M. Menendez.
Co-defendants Goodman and Sumner also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, with their sentencing hearings forthcoming.
The case is the outcome of an in-depth investigation by several law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrison County Community Corrections. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes.
