Lakota Tehya Wakley, a 21-year-old resident of Clovis, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess fentanyl with the intent to distribute. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that between November 18 and December 9, 2024, Wakley conspired with Austin Lloyd Kerns, a 53-year-old from Fresno, along with others, in distributing fentanyl. The investigation into this case commenced following a fentanyl overdose death in Fresno. On November 23, 2024, Wakley facilitated the connection between the overdose victim and Kerns for purchasing fentanyl pills. Over the subsequent two days, the victim procured fentanyl pills multiple times from Kerns and eventually succumbed to a fentanyl overdose. Wakley received fees for arranging these transactions.
The investigation is being conducted by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), which includes agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, alongside Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are leading the prosecution.
Austin Lloyd Kerns faces pending charges related to this case and is scheduled for a status conference on March 26, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe. It is important to note that these charges are allegations at this stage; Kerns remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Wakley's sentencing is set for June 23, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff. He could face up to 20 years in prison; however, the actual sentence will be determined by the court's discretion after evaluating statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case falls under Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an initiative aimed at reducing synthetic opioid supply in critical areas while identifying distribution networks and suppliers both domestically and internationally. Launched by the Justice Department in July 2018, S.O.S. operates within California's Eastern District and nine other federal districts.