A Bay St. Louis woman has been sentenced to over four years in prison for possessing and conspiracy to sell fentanyl.
Emma Kate Stoute, 19, was arrested in August 2023 as law enforcement was following up on a written complaint alleging drug trafficking at a local Motel 6. While surveilling the rooms, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) noticed a red Toyota Camry arrive at the motel to pick up two of the suspected individuals.
As they followed the vehicle, it crossed over the state line and into Louisiana before pulling into a Walmart parking lot. That’s when the DEA observed the occupants of that vehicle – identified as Christopher Fricke, Kolby Sims, Dakari Stykes, and Stoute – partake in what appeared to be a drug deal with a man named Santana Phillipe Elzy.
After the transaction, officers followed the car back into Mississippi before pulling it over and recovering approximately 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills later confirmed to be sold by Elzy. Stoute was in possession of 50 of the pills.
On Friday, Stoute was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. She had originally pleaded guilty in November. Elzy, Fricke, and Sims have all pleaded guilty with charges against Stykes pending.
