Drug dealer sentenced for distributing deadly doses of fentanyl- and xylazine-laced cocaine to three Grosse Pointe Woods residents

DETROIT -Aerian Porter-Craig, 34, formerly of Harper Woods, Michigan, was sentenced to 210 months in prison after having pleaded guilty to distributing deadly doses of fentanyl-laced cocaine to three Grosse Pointe Woods residents, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Detroit Field Office and John Kosanke, Director of Public Safety, Grosse Pointe Woods.

Porter-Craig was arrested on September 11, 2024. According to the complaint and Porter-Craig in her guilty plea, she regularly sold drugs to her three victims prior to the fatal incident. On the evening of June 9, 2023, Porter-Craig delivered drugs to Adult Victim 1 (AV-1) and AV-2 at one house, and then delivered to AV-3 at another house in Grosse Pointe Woods. Communications from all three victims' phones stopped shortly after Porter-Craig left each house. At AV-1's house, police found a tray next to AV-2's body with white powder that tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl. At AV-3's house, police found a tray next to AV-3's body with white powder that contained fentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine. According to their text messages, the victims thought they were buying cocaine.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner determined that AV-1 and AV-2 died from fentanyl toxicity, and AV-3 had died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity. Xylazine is a deadly animal tranquilizer sometimes mixed with fentanyl by drug traffickers.

"This drug dealer peddled deadly doses, floating like the grim reaper from one house to the next. She claimed three lives in one day-just so she could make a few bucks," said Gorgon.

"Anyone who profits from pushing deadly drugs like fentanyl into our Michigan communities should expect to spend years in federal prison. This sentence makes that message unmistakably clear," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "While no sentence can bring back the lives lost due to this defendant's criminal actions, this outcome delivers justice. I am grateful to the dedicated members of FBI Detroit and our partners at the Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department for their relentless investigative work. We will continue to pursue and hold accountable those who traffic deadly narcotics, while protecting our communities from those who endanger lives."

Director Kosanke stated, "Today's sentence of Aerian Porter-Craig, shows the justice system holds people accountable for their actions. A person who chose to profit from others addiction will now answer to the system that protects the innocent."

This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Grosse Pointe Woods Detective Bureau. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Franzinger.