A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Quijuan Hosea Bankhead, 31, will also serve five years of supervised release following his imprisonment, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
Court documents reveal that from August 2022 to December 2023, Bankhead and others conspired to distribute fentanyl across the Twin Cities and Minnesota. The group reportedly traveled to Phoenix to acquire fentanyl pills, which they concealed inside stuffed animals before mailing them to various locations around the Twin Cities area. A joint investigation by law enforcement agencies in Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties led to the seizure of six packages containing over 30,000 grams of fentanyl pills.
Bankhead's sentencing took place on May 29, 2025, in U.S District Court under Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan.
“Bankhead and his network smuggled deadly fentanyl into Minnesota and had the gall to hide this poison inside of children’s toys—stuffed animals,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Bankhead will now serve a well-deserved decade in federal prison.”
The case was investigated by several agencies including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Washington County Drug Task Force, and the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.
