A Decatur man has been sentenced to nearly seven years in prison after attempting to sell tens of thousands of counterfeit fentanyl pills. Gregory Buckner, 48, intended to distribute the pills, made to resemble oxycodone tablets, but instead swapped the opioid for the more potent and often deadly fentanyl. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, elucidated the gravity of such crimes, noting, "Fentanyl and heroin pose an especially insidious danger to the public because they are so often disguised as counterfeit pills," , as confirmed the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The case centered around an April 2023 incident where Buckner was caught with 10,000 purported oxycodone pills that were laden with fentanyl. When investigators approached Buckner in his vehicle, the accused fled on foot but was subsequently apprehended three months later during a fugitive operation. A storage unit linked to Buckner revealed an additional kilogram of fentanyl and more than a kilogram of heroin. "Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority," expressed Robert J. Murphy Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May, dictates that Buckner will serve six years and 11 months behind bars to be followed by four years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric J. White and John T. DeGenova were responsible for prosecuting the case which was, investigated not only by the DEA but also assisted by the Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
In the wake of the sentencing the Office of the U.S. Attorney advocates for enhanced public awareness around drug dangers, suggesting resources such as www.justthinktwice.gov, www.operationprevention.com/, and www.dea.gov/onepill. These platforms are recommended for parents and children, to educate themselves on the risks associated with drug use. Further details on the case are available from the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office, with a promise of transparency and a commitment to keeping the public informed on matters posing a threat to community safety.
