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The second Minneapolis man found trafficking large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl pills between California and Minnesota during a traffic stop in Freeborn County in February 2023 was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.

Savontray Orlando Dwayne Collins, 23, and his cousin Cortez Ananias Williams, 24, have now both been sentenced to prison for possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute.

According to the defendants’ plea agreements and court documents, the men were involved in trafficking controlled substances between California and Minnesota beginning at least as early as January 2023.

The two men were being investigated after informants told an investigator that Williams made regular trips to California and would return with between 50,000 and 100,000 fentanyl pills. 

In late-January 2023, officers attempted to interdict Williams upon his return home from one of his trips but narrowly missed him at the airport, according to court documents. They did, however, get surveillance images from the airport and found both men wheeling “distinctive” blue suitcases.   

In mid-February 2023, location data from Williams’ phone showed he again traveled to California and was on his way back a day later by car.  Investigators stationed themselves on Interstate 35 along the Minnesota and Iowa border and in Freeborn County pulled the vehicle over after observing multiple traffic infractions. 

Law enforcement found the men with 4.4 kilograms of “M30” fentanyl pills and nearly one kilogram of cocaine.

On June 28, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and was sentenced on Dec. 14 in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to 135 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Collins pleaded guilty on Oct. 4 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to his 10-year prison sentence, Collins will spend five years on supervised release.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force.