Transient from Denver sentenced to 15 years on fentanyl and firearm charges

Derek Edward Lanctot, 38, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison with five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Oct. 31 in Casper, Wyoming.

According to court documents, on April 15, 2024, the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) stopped a vehicle near mile marker 73 on Interstate 25. The trooper smelled an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and requested assistance for a search. The vehicle then fled and led troopers on a high-speed chase where it eventually wrecked, and all four occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody. During a subsequent search of the vehicle a stash book was found in the trunk. A stash book is a lock box designed to look like a book to disguise its contents. Over 600 grams of Fentanyl pills and a small pistol were located inside.

Lanctot was indicted on May 16 and pleaded guilty on Aug. 12. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and WHP investigated the crime. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy J. Forwood prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Case No. 24-00058