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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A Cerritos man is expected to plead guilty Monday to federal charges for his role in allegedly selling more than 20,000 multi- colored pills containing fentanyl -- so-called "skittles" manufactured to resemble oxycodone pills.
Christopher Hampton, 37, has agreed to enter his plea to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Hampton was named in an 11-count indictment last year charging him with various narcotics and weapons offenses that could result in a sentence of life behind bars.
Prosecutors allege Hampton sold nearly $2 million worth of narcotics on just two of nine "darknet" marketplaces that he and his co-conspirators regularly used.
Hampton, who allegedly used the online moniker "Narco710," was arrested in November, at which time federal agents seized 450 pounds of suspected narcotics, pill press machines -- some of which were capable of producing thousands of pills per hour -- and illegal firearms that included assault rifles and a suspected machine gun, federal authorities said.