United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DETROIT – Mark Craythorn Thompson, 63, of Detroit, was sentenced on June 25, to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl. 

As part of this conspiracy, Thompson picked up a package in Detroit Sept. 28, 2023, that contained 997.3 grams of powdered fentanyl. The package had been shipped to Michigan from Arizona in the U.S. Mail, and Thompson intended to deliver the fentanyl to individuals in the Detroit metro area. 

“Drug traffickers who profit from poisoning our communities should expect to face relentless pressure from law enforcement and significant prison time — as demonstrated in this case. We will continue to hunt down those who choose greed over human life and ensure they are brought to justice," said DEA Detroit Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the U.S. and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.