Columbus man guilty of distributing 380,000 doses of fentanyl sentenced

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A Columbus man that pleaded guilty to distributing 380,000 doses of fentanyl was sentenced in a Georgia court.

On Nov. 30, US District Judge Clay Land sentenced 32-year-old Michael Schlarman, also known as White Mike, to 13 years in prison, followed by a five-year supervised release.

Earlier this year, Schlarman pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. According to court records, the defendant admitted to distributing nearly 500 grams of fentanyl and 265 grams of a fentanyl analog, a chemically similar version of the original drug.

According to official evidence, on Jan. 26, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and many other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant at Schlarman’s home on Wagner Drive in Columbus.

The suspect escaped through the back of the house but was found, arrested and escorted back to the residence with the help of DEA Air Support.

Inside his home, authorities found the following:

• 496.4 grams of fentanyl
• 265.5 grams of p-Fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue)
• A Glock 9mm with an extended magazine
• A Taurus 9mm with a magazine and extra ammunition

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