ST. LOUIS – An Audrain County man was indicted earlier this month for an accusation of possessing distributable quantities of fentanyl, according to a news release from the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

Charles Henton, 34, of Mexico was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on March 19 on one count of possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He appeared in court March 25 and pleaded not guilty.

The release stated the indictment accuses Henton of possessing the fentanyl on February 19. The Ledger reported that Henton pulled into the Walmart parking lot and was detained by an Audrain County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit deputy. The deputy found that Henton allegedly threw a half pound of fentanyl from his vehicle before he stopped at the Walmart. 

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt, and every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty, the release stated.

The Audrain County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ricardo Dixon 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,” the release stated. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).