IZARD COUNTY, Ark. — A group of seven men have been charged with fentanyl drug charges after the overdose death of an Izard County man.
According to the Izard County Sheriff's Office, authorities began serving warrants on Tuesday, December 14 for the federal charges.
Those arrested were:
- Michael Mullins Sr. aka Slick, 64 of Highland
- Richard Cohen, 34 of Calico Rock
- Andrew Martin, 42 of Couch
- Ricky Joe Cluck, 64 of Hardy
- Jamey D. Roof, 56 of Mountain Home
- Samuel R. Noakes, 39 of Myrtle, Missouri
- Michael Kelly, 32 of Horseshoe Bend
All seven men face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to deliver fentanyl. Mullins will face a charge of distribution resulting in death.
"This is the first time we have been able to directly link a dealer to the death of another person," said Izard County Chief Deputy Charley Melton.
Melton said the men were all people authorities were aware of, but were never able to connect all the suspects "until now."
Earlier in the year, Kelly was arrested in Fulton County and a search of his vehicle found 154 Ziploc bags full of fentanyl.
Officers also learned that Mullins made "transactions" with the person who died due to an overdose.
"Through these arrests we have obtained additional information that could result in additional arrests," Melton said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation. Officers from Izard, Sharp, Fulton, Independence, the Special Resource Team, Arkansas Department of Correction, and the 16th Drug Task Force also participated in the arrests.
We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.