Wichita man sentenced to five years for dealing meth, fentanyl pills from hotel room
A federal judge on Monday ordered a Wichita man to spend five years in prison for having guns in his possession as he dealt illicit narcotics from his east-side hotel room earlier this year.
Alexander Schultz, 36, pleaded guilty in September to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to court records and a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
His lawyer, Lacy Gilmour, said in an email Tuesday that Schultz “is a good person who got caught up in a bad lifestyle while looking for an escape” and that he participated “in the drug trade to support his own addiction.”
“While incarcerated he plans to take advantage of all of the available programs offered by the Federal government,” she wrote, adding that Schultz has a plan “to ensure that he is rehabilitated rather than reincarcerated upon release from this sentence.”
He does not plan to appeal, she said.
According to his plea agreement, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office caught Schultz selling drugs out of his car in front of Candlewood Suites, 5211 E. Kellogg, and also from his hotel room on Feb. 7 after receiving information that he was a dealer. After detectives confirmed the tip, officers arrested him on an outstanding warrant as he got out of his car at the hotel, court records say.
Authorities found bags of blue “M30” pills that tested positive for fentanyl, about an ounce of methamphetamine, two guns, several bags of raw marijuana and $2,878 when they searched his car. Authorities found another 12 grams of meth, a small amount of crack cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a rifle under a mattress when they searched his hotel room. The total net weight of the fentanyl pills found in the car was 138.89 grams, or about 4.9 ounces, court records say.
“Schultz admitted the items located inside of the vehicle and hotel room were his, and that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine and fentanyl. He told investigators he had the firearms to protect himself and the drugs he was trafficking,” the news release says.
Schultz was originally indicted on five counts, court records show: possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, two counts of possession of meth with the intent to distribute and two counts of possession of a firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He previously pleaded not guilty to the charges, most of which were dismissed as part of his plea agreement.
The sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge John Broomes was jointly recommended by attorneys and Schultz’s pre-sentencing report, Gilmour said.
This story was originally published December 5, 2023 at 10:39 AM.
