A resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Walter Wellington Somers, has been sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Somers pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024. Following his prison term, he will be subject to four years of supervised release. During the hearing, it was revealed that Somers had traveled from Louisiana and intended to return there to sell the fentanyl pills at a profit. He has numerous prior convictions and contacts with law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei stated, "All too often, we hear tragic stories about someone’s young son or daughter dying after taking a single pill laced with fentanyl, and it's people like this defendant who put that one lethal dose in their hand." He added that the seizure of Somers' pills prevented them from reaching the streets and likely saved many lives.
DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell commented on the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), saying they helped save countless lives by preventing these dangerous drugs from devastating the Laredo community.
The case began when hotel staff at Embassy Suites Hotel in Laredo discovered what they believed were drugs while cleaning a room on December 23, 2023. Law enforcement arrived and found Somers attempting to re-enter the room under the pretense of paying for a broken television.
A search revealed a silver zipper bag containing clear plastic bags filled with blue circular pills marked with an “M-30” logo. Laboratory analysis confirmed these were fentanyl pills totaling 2,319 units. The investigation traced their origin back to Sinaloa, Mexico.
Further investigation showed that Somers traveled from Louisiana to South Texas to meet a friend involved in narcotics distribution. Phone messages indicated discussions about collecting money and acquiring narcotics.
The DEA and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Chamberlin and Brittany Jensen as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States.
Somers will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
