United States Drug Enforcement Administration

Atlanta – Michael Antonio Cruz was arraigned earlier today in federal court on drug trafficking charges related to the discovery of nearly 60 pounds of fentanyl in a shed behind one of his alleged residences.

“Fentanyl continues to devastate families and communities across this country,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The alleged trafficking of 60 pounds of this deadly substance underscores the magnitude of the threat we face. DEA will continue to pursue those responsible for putting profits over human lives. Our mission remains dedicated to protecting our communities, preventing drug trafficking, and working toward a Fentanyl Free America.”  

“The staggering quantity of fentanyl Cruz allegedly possessed posed a critical threat to public health and safety. But for the intervention of law enforcement, the fentanyl could have reached the streets and had potentially fatal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute the criminals who deal this poison in our community.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On September 30, 2026, federal agents conducting a narcotics investigation executed search warrants at three residences allegedly owned by Cruz.

In Austell, Georgia, agents searched a backyard shed and found nearly 60 pounds of fentanyl shaped in 26 individually wrapped bricks with stamped markings on each side. In a Mableton, Georgia residence, agents found multiple scales, buckets of a cutting agent commonly used with methamphetamine and cocaine, plastic bins containing methamphetamine residue, vacuum sealing machines, and vacuum sealing packages. Agents also found a false vent that opened into a void in the wall, where they discovered more than $74,000 in cash. 

Today, Michael Antonio Cruz, 32, of Mableton, Georgia, was arraigned in federal court on an indictment returned by a grand jury on November 3, 2026, that charged him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl as well as possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Cruz was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Cobb County Police Department, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. 

Assistant United States Attorney Edward C. Robinson Jr. is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.