A Jefferson City man has pleaded guilty to federal charges of trafficking heroin.
Frank Collins, 44, was identified as a "high level" heroin dealer when he was taken into custody in February 2013 following a drug sting by the MUSTANG Drug Task Force.
In response to an increase in heroin-related overdoses within the Mid-Missouri area in the fall of 2012, the Jefferson City Police Department and MUSTANG officers conducted an ongoing investigation of suspects involved in narcotics distribution with an emphasis on heroin dealers.
The majority of arrests were the result of lengthy investigations conducted by the police department's community action team, narcotics detectives and MUSTANG in cooperation on some cases with the DEA.
Court records show authorities used a confidential informant to make purchases of drugs from Collins on multiple occasions from December 2012 to January 2013.
When questioned by authorities, Collins said his source for his drug supply came from Chicago.
He said he paid the source $5,500-$5,600 to settle a past drug debt.
Collins cooperated with authorities by making recorded phone calls to his source, but was unable to get the source to deliver heroin to Jefferson City.
A sentencing date for Collins has not been set.