A suspect faces federal charges after authorities say he picked up a package containing more than two-and-a-half pounds of the powerful opiate fentanyl at a home just outside Newton Falls.

A federal criminal complaint charges 39-year-old Pierre Parker with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl and attempted possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, a Postal Inspector identified a Priority Mail parcel addressed to a home on Benita Street, in Paris Township, Portage County as a suspected drug parcel.

A drug-sniffing K9 alerted authorities to the presence of approximately 1.15 kilograms of fentanyl pills found inside the package.

Investigators removed the fentanyl and replaced it with a location monitoring device similar to a GPS and a transmitter which would allow them to determine if or when the parcel was opened.

On Monday, after the package was delivered to the Paris Township address, agents say they saw Parker coming out of the home carrying the package.

After getting an alert that the package had been opened, agents converged on the home, arresting Parker.

Agents say Parker first told them he thought the package contained marijuana, but according to the affidavit, he later admitted that he knew it contained pills that he was supposed to sell to someone in Canton for $2,000.

During an initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Youngstown on Tuesday, a public defender was appointed to represent Parker at a detention hearing scheduled next week.

Parker remains jailed in the Mahoning County Justice Center.