Federal and state authorities have detained 27 individuals accused of operating a drug-trafficking organization in central Arkansas. The arrests, carried out in Pulaski County, target those involved in distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. This operation is part of an ongoing investigation led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Warner Benson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Little Rock Field Office, announced the arrests. "The lethality of fentanyl requires our continued resolve to prioritize these types of investigations," Ross stated.
Eric Dillard and Jimmie McDaniels are identified as leaders of the organization. A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment on March 4, 2025, charging them with various drug and gun crimes. Money laundering charges were also filed against six defendants.
The OCDETF investigation began in September 2023. It involved controlled purchases of fentanyl from conspiracy members and led to the seizure of 19 firearms and about a pound of fentanyl. Authorities believe hundreds of pounds have been trafficked within Arkansas.
DEA Assistant Special Agent Warner Benson commented on the operation's impact: "This morning’s arrest operation represents a significant blow to a criminal network that was flooding our communities with deadly fentanyl."
The arrested individuals will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday. The investigation involved multiple agencies including DEA offices from Little Rock, New Orleans, Houston; FBI; U.S. Marshal Service; several local police departments; and other state entities.