A South St. Paul man with a felony record has been dealt a 10-year prison sentence for drug trafficking offenses, specifically related to the possession and intent to distribute fentanyl. The United States Attorney's Office revealed that Nicholas Neil Nikiforakis, 34, was sentenced this past week by Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright in U.S. District Court.
The case against Nikiforakis unfolded after he carelessly displayed a firearm in a Facebook post on December 4, 2022, flagging the attention of the authorities. With a history of felony convictions, Nikiforakis was banned from owning weaponry. A pursuit ensued when law enforcement later spotted him driving a black Ford Explorer, during which Nikiforakis rammed a squad car, fled at high speeds, and ended his attempted escape with a crash that led to his arrest.
A search of the wrecked vehicle unearthed a "ghost gun" and a stash of drugs, including fentanyl pills, marijuana, and a digital scale that indicated distribution activities. Evidence from Nikiforakis's phone confirmed this further, corroborating that the drugs were possessed to sell them, according to documents from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Before earning his decade-long sentence, Nikiforakis pleaded guilty on June 23, 2023, to the charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. His sentencing concludes a case conducted by a collective effort of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force. The prosecution of the case was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing.
