This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Utah man is pleading not guilty to charges saying he helped run a multimillion-dollar opioid-drug ring based out of a Cottonwood Heights basement.
Drew W. Crandall shed tears during an appearance in federal court Friday. Court documents say the 30-year-old man and his girlfriend were arrested when they landed in Hawaii to get married after a trip through southeastern Asia and New Zealand.
Prosecutors say he helped the alleged ringleader sell fake prescription-drug pills online to thousands of people, raking in at least $2.8 million. Federal prosecutors say the pills were really the powerful opioid fentanyl.
Crandall has been charged with three counts, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. He faces up to life in prison if convicted. His lawyer declined to comment.