United States Drug Enforcement Administration

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two Trenton, Missouri, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Grundy County, Mo., and elsewhere.

Troy Lee Palmer, 24, and Dallas W. Hughs, 26, were charged in a six-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury on March 1, 2022. That indictment has been unsealed following the arrests of Palmer and Hughs. Palmer, who was arrested yesterday, remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on March 28, 2022. Hughs is not eligible for bond as he was already in state custody on separate case.

The federal indictment alleges that Palmer and Hughs participated in a conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl since Oct. 27, 2020.

In addition to the conspiracy, Palmer is charged with one count of possessing fentanyl to distribute in Grundy County on Dec. 8, 2020, and one count of possessing several firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking crimes. Palmer allegedly possessed a Cricket .22-caliber bolt-action rifle, a Ross .22-caliber rifle, a Ross .410-gauge shotgun, a Ruger 410-gauge shotgun, a Hiawatha 12-gauge shotgun, and a Ruger .223-caliber rifle on Dec. 8, 2020.

Hughs is also charged with three counts of distributing fentanyl in Grundy County on separate occasions between Aug. 23 and Sept. 13, 2021.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Grundy County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Trenton, Mo., Police Department, the Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force, the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.