Independence Man Charged for Trafficking Fentanyl (DOJ)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with distributing fentanyl.

Mark A. Foster, 32, was charged by a federal grand jury on April 15, 2026, with distribution of a controlled substance. The indictment was unsealed on Monday following Foster's initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge.

According to court documents, the distribution of fentanyl that Foster has been charged with is connected to an overdose death in Jamesport, Mo. A Jackson County medical examiner determined that the cause of death of the associated victim was "fentanyl and mitragynine toxicity."

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force and the Daviess County Sheriff's Office.

Operation Take Back America

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).