Patrick Burton Strong, a resident of Bemidji, has been sentenced to six years in prison with an additional three years of supervised release. This sentence comes after Strong pleaded guilty to charges of fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a machinegun. Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick made the announcement.
Court documents state that between March and April of 2024, Strong, 29, was involved in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl while also illegally possessing a machinegun. On March 31, 2024, he traveled with his co-defendants Danielle Diane Goodman, 27, and Leticia Jean Sumner, 24, from Bemidji to Minneapolis. During this trip, he purchased $10,000 worth of fentanyl.
On their return journey to Bemidji, they were stopped by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper for traffic violations. The trooper suspected drug trafficking and, upon searching their vehicle, discovered a backpack containing roughly 100 grams of fentanyl powder. It also included a ghost gun with a modification that allowed it to operate as a fully automatic weapon, along with a large magazine containing over 30 rounds.
Further investigations led law enforcement to search Strong and Sumner’s apartment in Bemidji. They found a shotgun, methamphetamine, and other illegal substances. While in custody at the Morrison County Jail, Strong and Sumner were found with approximately 30 grams of fentanyl.
Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick commented, “Strong possessed a gun equipped with a switch, an item with no purpose other than killing people. He trafficked in fentanyl—the deadliest illegal drug commonly sold today. And he intended to sell that deadly fentanyl into Native communities in the Bemidji area, communities that experience the highest overdose rates in Minnesota. He is well-deserving of a 72-month federal sentence. Minnesota is safer with Strong off the streets.”
Strong pleaded guilty on November 7, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a machinegun. Judge Katherine M. Menendez sentenced him yesterday in the U.S. District Court.
His accomplices, Goodman and Sumner, also admitted to conspiracy charges related to fentanyl distribution. Their sentencing remains pending.
The investigation involved several agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Morrison County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrison County Community Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Forbes is leading the prosecution.