A San Fernando Valley man suspected of having links to a violent white supremacist group faces sentencing Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Kris Dean Drakakis, 43, pleaded guilty in May 2024 in downtown Los Angeles to two federal counts: possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors are recommending a federal prison sentence of 14 years.
The defendant was indicted in June 2023 on the drug counts, along with charges of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Federal prosecutors say Drakakis is a member of a racially motivated violent extremist group based in Los Angeles. The group originated in the California state prison system and its members have engaged in racial violence, drug and illegal firearms trafficking, and fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In his plea agreement, filed in L.A. federal court, Drakakis admitted to possessing more than 4.3 pounds of a substance containing fentanyl and at least 1.7 pounds of methamphetamine in March 2023 with the intent to distribute the drugs to customers.
On March 3, 2023, Drakakis, driving a vehicle with expired registration, was stopped by Los Angeles police officers, who observed drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, court papers show.
The defendant initially refused to exit the vehicle, and told officers that he had a large amount of narcotics inside the vehicle, a rifle and two handguns. Inside the vehicle, Drakakis had an assault rifle with a scope and an inserted empty magazine, two loaded handguns, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, $3,810 in currency, a scale, and baggies, according to the government’s sentencing papers.