East St. Louis Man Sentenced to 156 Months Imprisonment for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Cocaine

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Mario A. Foster, of East St. Louis, Illinois, was sentenced on Tuesday, 
August 16, 2022, in federal court to 13 years in prison for Possessing with Intent to Distribute 
Fentanyl and Cocaine. Following Foster’s release, he will spend three years on supervised release. 
Foster was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments along with a $500 fine.
According to court documents, Foster was stopped and arrested following a call to law enforcement 
regarding a parental abduction.  Law enforcement observed a three-month old infant sitting in a 
removable child safety seat. When the infant was removed from the seat, officers discovered the 
baby had been sitting on a baggy containing fentanyl and a baggie containing cocaine base.

“Fentanyl’s deadliness is no secret,” said United States Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.  “It is 
unfathomable that this defendant selfishly chose to place an infant in jeopardy in an apparent 
effort to conceal his crimes. His 13-year prison sentence is well-deserved.”

This case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service and the Belleville Police 
Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Hudson.