Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A six-count indictment was filed in federal court today charging two people from Akron for their roles in distributing fentanyl, as well as firearms charges, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Willie Brantley, 28, and Kelsey Zastudil, 21, were both indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of fentanyl, maintaining a drug premises, and prohibited persons being in possession of a firearm.

Brantley obtained fentanyl in May 2014 and distributed it with Zastudil’s permission from a location on Sweitzer Avenue in Akron, according to the indictment.

On May 28, Brantley and Zastudil were found to have a Cobra .38 special Derringer and ammunition, despite Brantley having been previously convicted of trafficking in cocaine and marijuana in Summit County Common Pleas Court, and Zastudil being under indictment in Summit County on charges of theft of drugs.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Teresa L. Riley following an investigation by the Akron Police Department Narcotics and Street Narcotics Uniformed Detail and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.