Two Charged in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy That Resulted in Three Deaths
Jemmal Bryan and Keana Bryan face charges in connection with a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy linked to three overdose deaths; the case is pending.
3 reports on this incident · first at Sep 4, 2026, 3:06 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Sep 9, 2026, 7:09 p.m. ET
Two Charged in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Three Deaths
Two New York residents were charged on September 4, 2026, in connection with a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that resulted in three deaths, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. Jemmal Bryan, 42, and Keana Bryan, 43, both of Jamaica, Queens, are charged with operating as major drug traffickers, conspiracy, and criminal sale of a controlled substance. The case is at the charging stage and has not been resolved; the defendants have not been tried and are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecutors allege the couple ran a sophisticated drug manufacturing operation out of their home, selling fentanyl and other narcotics with distinct branding. Jemmal Bryan is also accused of bragging on a wiretap about controlling Long Island's drug trade. The charges stem from a raid that uncovered enough fentanyl to kill 500,000 people, according to the district attorney.
If convicted, Jemmal Bryan faces up to 25 years in prison, and Keana Bryan faces up to 20 years. The case was investigated by Nassau County police and is being prosecuted by the Nassau County District Attorney's Office.
Sep 4, 2026, 3:06 p.m. ETFirst report
Two Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Three Deaths
SCRANTON – The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced on September 4, 2026, that two co-defendants were sentenced in connection with a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that resulted in three deaths.
James P. Cullen, V., 32, and Michelle Lindsay Ferranti, 33, both of Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia K. Munley. Cullen received 25 years in prison and Ferranti received 20 years, followed by supervised release. Both had previously pleaded guilty.
According to U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller, the pair participated in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl, and the drug distribution resulted in the deaths of three individuals. The investigation found that the defendants used the dark web, cryptocurrency, and the U.S. Mail to distribute fentanyl. Undercover agents made purchases from a darknet vendor beginning in October 2022, and a February 2023 search warrant at the defendants' residence recovered currency, electronic devices, drug ledgers, cryptocurrency wallets, and controlled substances. The ledgers contained nearly 1,000 entries dating back to summer 2021, with shipments sent to 49 states and overseas. Investigators linked shipments to three people in three different states who died from overdoses.
“Cullen and Ferranti used the dark web, cryptocurrency and the U.S. mail to distribute deadly fentanyl into communities across the country, and three people lost their lives as a result,” said Nathan Abel, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. Christopher Nielsen, Inspector in Charge of the Philadelphia Division for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, stated, “These sentences reflect the seriousness of using the U.S. Mail to distribute deadly narcotics.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti.
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- Version 19 Sept 2026, 23:09current
First published.
- Version 14 Sept 2026, 19:06current
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- Version 19 Sept 2026, 23:22current
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