First Murder Conviction for Fentanyl Dealer Delivered in California

TUESDAY, July 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A fentanyl dealer has been found guilty of second-degree murder in what authorities believe is the first-ever murder conviction for dealing the dangerous drug.

The conviction happened in Placer County, California, in a case involving the fatal overdose last summer of a 15-year-old girl in Roseville, about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento, ABC7 News reported.

"This conviction could be a watershed moment in the war on fentanyl," said Steven Clark, legal analyst and former Santa Clara County District Attorney. "The fact that there was a conviction sends a message to the people dealing fentanyl," he said, noting that the key to these cases is proving the dealer knew they were selling deadly fentanyl.

The person convicted is a 21-year-old, ABC7 News reported.

"Fentanyl is everywhere and it's deadly," Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said recently. "If they choose to continue their behavior and sell and kill, the consequences will increase and they will be severe."

He predicted that more of these cases will be prosecuted, because traditional drug laws have not stopped people from selling fentanyl and it has become a national health crisis.

ABC7 News Article