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Fentanyl pills, shotguns, and brass knuckles all found during raid of Romulus home

By Jack Nissen
Published  April 20, 2023 8:25am EDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 2 Detroit

ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Fentanyl, firearms, and brass knuckles were all confiscated from a Romulus home during a February raid amid suspicion of opioid distribution.

The raid follows months of surveillance at a home where an officer observed multiple drug transactions involving narcotics. Walter Butler, born in 1980 and the occupant of the Romulus home that was raided has since been charged with possession with intent to distribute and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

According to a federal complaint filed in the Eastern District Court of Michigan, Butler had had numerous interactions with the officer investigating the case in years past. 

However, in August 2022, the officer received an anonymous tip about illegal narcotic sales being made at a multi-family dwelling located on Waynecourse Street in Romulus.

The criminal complaint notes the investigating officer conducted both electronic and physical surveillance at the address through February 2023, noting Butler made "numerous" hand-to-hand drug transactions with those visiting the residence.

Sometimes those transactions happened in one of three main vehicles parked at the home, including a maroon Ford Excursion, a silver Cadillac Escalade, and a silver GMC Conversion van.

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A raid was executed on Feb. 3 where police detained two women who were later identified as Butler's relative and her 4-year-old niece. Police found the following items in the home:

  • One Slapwood cigar pouch containing 26 grams of M30 suspected fentanyl pills and 38 grams of M367 suspected hydrocodone pills located in the south TV stand dresser drawer
  • One silver Gerstenberger U Eberwein Gussenstadt revolver, .22 caliber, reported stolen, located in the east dresser drawer of the master bedroom.
  • One Browning, 12-gauge shotgun, located in the closet
  • One Marlin, .22 caliber rifle located in the closet
  • Winchester 9mm ammunition located on the east dresser
  • Two boxes of 12-gauge ammunition located on the east dresser
  • One box of 38 caliber ammunition located on the east dresser
  • One silver "Brass Knuckles" located on the east dresser.
  • $367 dollars in US currency located in the south tv stand dresser drawer

The raid also extended to the Ford Excursion parked outside, which included:

  • One Glock, model 43, 9mm pistol, reported stolen, loaded with six rounds, located in the center console
  • One Glock, model 43, 9mm pistol, unregistered, loaded with five rounds, located in the center console
  • One clear Glock magazine loaded with 7 rounds located in the center console
  • One Slapwood cigar pouch, containing 112 grams of blue M30 pills, located in the center console
  • One pill bottle containing 22 grams of white suspected hydrocodone pills located in the center console
  • A plastic baggie containing miscellaneous M30 suspected fentanyl pills and white suspected hydrocodone pills, located in the center console

The federal complain also mentions finding two loaded pistols in the center console where the narcotics were found.

Further testing of the M30 pills at the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division confirmed that despite the capsules having markings consistent with oxycodone, the pills tested positive for fentanyl.