United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DETROIT – Barry Willis, a Detroit gas station owner has been convicted of several federal crimes stemming from his involvement with a Detroit-based stash house that held over 42 kilograms of fentanyl, a pill press, and a variety of other materials used to manufacture fentanyl pills.

On March 28, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations connected to Willis, a resident of Clinton Township, Mich. and owner of a Detroit gas station.  Investigators searched his primary residence, his gas station and his stash house in Detroit. In the basement of the stash house, they recovered more than 40 kilograms of fentanyl in both pill and powder form, as well as a hoard of materials for manufacturing fentanyl pills including a pill press, narcotics scales, and drug recipes. Investigators also located four firearms and more than $100,000 in cash.

“Forty kilograms of fentanyl represents an astonishing 20 million potentially deadly doses. Enough poison to threaten every man, woman, and child in Detroit and across Michigan. Fentanyl is a weapon being used to fuel addiction, destroy families, and drive violence in American communities. We will relentlessly pursue the cartels and traffickers responsible, seize their drugs and money, dismantle their networks, and use every resource at our disposal to protect American lives and make America fentanyl free,” said Joseph O. Dixon, special agent in Charge of Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Division. 

"This major seizure of fentanyl has saved lives. The great partnerships we have with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels in southeast Michigan, enable us to make these types of investigations successful,” said Livonia Police Department Chief Thomas Goralski.

On September 14, 2026, a jury convicted Willis of possession of over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and unlawful possession of a pill press. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years’ imprisonment at sentencing, which is set for January 11, 2027.