A man from Tempe, Arizona, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl. Terence Michael Carroll, age 38, received his sentence on August 14, 2025, in Peoria, Illinois. After completing his prison term, he will be subject to five years of supervised release.
During the sentencing hearing with U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley presiding, evidence showed that Carroll mailed a parcel containing approximately 11,757 tablets—totaling about 1,295 grams of a substance containing fentanyl—from Tempe to an address in Peoria in December 2023.
Carroll was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024 and arrested later that month in Arizona. He was initially released on recognizance bond but was detained after pleading guilty in May 2025 until sentencing.
Federal law sets penalties for attempted distribution of more than 400 grams of fentanyl at ten years to life imprisonment and at least five years of supervised release. The court may also impose fines up to $10 million.
“Defendants who peddle deadly drugs like fentanyl introduce poison into our communities,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz. “Our office is committed to pursuing these prosecutions in partnership with the United States Postal Inspection Services, Illinois State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, given the life-threatening consequences of this type of drug distribution.”
“This successful investigation demonstrates the role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “U.S. Postal Inspectors are federal agents committed to protecting the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and fulfilling our obligations to safety in the communities we serve by dismantling drug trafficking organizations. U.S. Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively investigate and bring to justice anyone utilizing the U.S. Mail for distribution of narcotics, as demonstrated by Mr. Carroll’s sentencing.”
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with help from its Forensics Lab and support from Illinois State Police; prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ortiz.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that coordinates law enforcement efforts across different levels with community involvement aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence while improving neighborhood safety through collaboration and strategic enforcement priorities.
