KC Reporter

A Columbia, Missouri man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Michael E. Hunt, Jr., aged 43, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes and will serve his term without parole.

Hunt was convicted on July 16, 2024, after being found guilty of one count of possessing fentanyl intended for distribution. The case arose when law enforcement learned that Hunt planned to transport fentanyl from Columbia to Springfield.

On June 12, 2022, a Laclede County sheriff's deputy stopped Hunt's black Jeep Renegade on Highway 5 for a moving violation. A police service dog indicated the presence of drugs in the vehicle. Hunt then locked the Jeep and refused to hand over the keys.

Authorities unlocked the vehicle with assistance from a local tow company and discovered approximately 300 grams of fentanyl inside a black gym bag on the front passenger seat. This amount is consistent with distribution rather than personal use.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron A. Beaver and Anthony M. Brown and investigated by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Laclede County Sheriff's Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Springfield Police Department.