A Providence man has admitted in federal court to trafficking over 2,000 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the admission by Michael Sellers, 64, who pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of fentanyl. His sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2025. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district judge considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
During his plea, Sellers acknowledged that in November 2023, he sold more than 1,000 fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills on two occasions while under FBI surveillance. On November 16, 2023, Sellers exchanged 1,027 counterfeit pills for $2,500 cash. Again on November 24, he sold another batch of 1,024 pills for the same amount. Law enforcement swiftly seized the pills in both transactions.
Assistant United States Attorneys Peter I. Roklan and Stacey A. Erickson are prosecuting the case which was investigated by the FBI.