Deported Non-Citizen and Fugitive Apprehended After Undercover Investigation Uncovers Massive Fentanyl Distribution Ring
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A multi-agency investigation has led to the arrest of a long-sought-after fugitive who was distributing vast quantities of fentanyl and other illegal narcotics throughout the Tampa Bay area while operating under a false identity.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), in partnership with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the arrest of Lloyd Anton Blair, 47, following a months-long undercover operation.
The investigation began in June 2025, when HCSO’s Special Investigations Division targeted a man known to them as “Eric Barnes” for selling large amounts of pressed fentanyl pills. Detectives initially recovered over 1,000 pills from the suspect. However, a deeper look into the suspect’s background revealed his true identity was Lloyd Anton Blair…