SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — According to the Department of Justice, a Bonita man was sentenced to prison on Friday for his role in supplying a 15-year-old girl with fentanyl pills that resulted in her death.
Marcus Ray Chavez, 30, was handed a 262-month prison stay in federal court.
According to court documents, he provided the girl with “M30” pills on at least four occasions between September and November 2022 in exchange for sex. The DOJ said Chavez admitted to knowing the girl was underage.
The 15-year-old fatally overdosed on Nov. 12, 2022, from the pills he gave her. As noted in the sentencing memo, the girl was in the ninth grade at the time of her passing.
According to the DOJ, her loved ones described her as an energetic girl who “brightened any room she entered. Relatives said the girl had aspirations of opening a hair salon business one day.
“Any loss of life is tragic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “The loss of a child is particularly devastating. While nothing can bring this lost child back, we are committed to holding this dealer and others like him accountable.”
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl emphasized the importance of holding dealers accountable for the destruction they cause. He said, “We must stop the senseless loss of life due to fentanyl
overdoses and stand together.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark also commented on the case, stating, “Mr. Chavez traded fake fentanyl pills for sex with a vulnerable child. Fentanyl’s grip tightens the chains of exploitation. As her family grieves and we honor her memory, Mr. Chavez now has over 20 years to remember his actions stole an innocent life.”
According to the DOJ, fentanyl remains a serious threat across the nation. The latest DEA laboratory testing, announced last fall, indicated that five out of 10 pills tested contained a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl.
For more information on the dangers of fentanyl, watch the video at the top of this page.
