Hampton auto shop owner convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, marijuana

The manager of a car repair and autobody shop in Hampton was convicted Friday in Newport News federal court on charges related to distributing drugs out of his shop — including fentanyl and marijuana from across the country.

Orlando Roosevelt Adkins, 45, had pleaded guilty in June to distribution of marijuana, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and two counts of using a communication facility in furtherance of drug trafficking while denying the charge of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Last week, a federal jury found him guilty of that conspiracy charge.

Adkins was the operator and manager of Elite Customs, which was among the businesses, houses and vehicles in Virginia and North Carolina involved in the drug distribution conspiracy between at least eight other indicted individuals.

The conspiracy involved purchasing drugs from Mexico, Texas, California and North Carolina and coordinating to have them transported to Virginia in rental vehicles, couriers, the mail, semi-trailers, trucks and RVs, according to the Department of Justice. Adkins’ charge was related to at least 40 grams of fentanyl and an unspecified amount of marijuana, though he was accused of also being involved in the trafficking of heroin and cocaine, according to court documents.

Adkins is set to be sentenced Nov. 28. He is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com