A Minneapolis man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for fentanyl trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
“Fentanyl is a uniquely dangerous drug, making it the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger. “Fentanyl traffickers who carry firearms to protect their deadly trade can expect to face lengthy federal prison sentences.”
According to court documents, in 2021 and 2022, Jimmie Bivins Jr., 22, and his co-conspirators were part of a drug trafficking ring that obtained “M30” or “MBox” fentanyl pills from a source of supply outside of Minnesota and transported and distributed the pills across the Twin Cities region. Bivins regularly distributed the fentanyl pills in quantities ranging from 100 to 1,000 or more at a time. On one occasion, Bivins sold 2,030 pills to an undercover informant during a transaction that occurred in Bivins’ Uptown apartment.
According to court documents, during the course of the investigation, law enforcement conducted a seizure operation in March 2022 and obtained approximately 57,000 M30 fentanyl pills, more than $83,000 in U.S. currency, and multiple firearms from Bivins, including a Seekings Precision Model SP223 semi-automatic rifle from Bivins’s vehicle. He was arrested, charged in Hennepin County Court, and obtained release on bail.
Afterward, in July 2022, law enforcement encountered Bivins during a traffic stop and ultimately recovered a Glock model 45 9mm semiautomatic pistol from under Bivins’ driver’s seat. The firearm was loaded with an extended magazine which contained 28 rounds of ammunition. The Grand Jury indicted Bivins in July 2022.
Because Bivins has prior felony convictions, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.
On December 19, 2022, Bivins pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. He was sentenced on July 18, 2023, before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Hennepin Drug Task Force, the Dakota County Drug Task Force, the Fridley Police Department, and the St. Paul Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen A. Slaughter Jr. prosecuted the case.
Read more at the Justice Department
