A husband and wife have received a total of 45 years in federal prison for their involvement in the fentanyl overdose death of a victim in Arkansas.
Terry Wayne Franklin, aged 39, was given a 25-year sentence, while his wife, Mary Danielle Sheppard, aged 36, received a 20-year sentence. These sentences were pronounced by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
“This couple chose to sell pills containing a lethal and illicit drug, which tragically led to another life being lost due to fentanyl use,” expressed Jonathan D. Ross, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. He further cautioned, “Let this sentence stand as a stark reminder to anyone involved in the sale of fentanyl, in any shape or form, that they will face prosecution to the maximum extent of the law and the consequences will be severe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) spearheaded an investigation that uncovered Franklin and Sheppard as the culprits behind the sale of fentanyl pills to the victim in May 2022. Tragically, the victim succumbed to an overdose, and the pills were found at the scene. Concrete evidence, such as text messages and surveillance footage, verified the transaction between the victim and the couple.
Months later, police in Texas stopped the couple while they were traveling north. During the stop, officers discovered that they had a significant number of fentanyl pills in their possession.
