OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — Two men from Okaloosa County have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the fentanyl overdose death of a fellow jail inmate.
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According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida (USAO), Chase Gary, 30, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, and Joshua Gervais, 28, was sentenced to 14 years.
Both men previously pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl, resulting in the death of another.
Each will be required to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences.
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“Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida,
“Each of these deaths are a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute traffickers for their callous disregard for human life. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our continued resolve to hold them accountable.”
According to the USAO, on the morning of December 24, 2022, Mr Gervais notified jail staff that his cellmate at the Okaloosa County Jail was not breathing. The jail staff attempted CPR and other life-saving measures without success, and the cellmate was pronounced dead.
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The ensuing investigation reportedly revealed that Mr Gary, who was housed in the next cell, smuggled fentanyl pills into the jail inside his body. Reportedly, once inside the jail, Gary gave some of the pills to Gervais, who traded them with his cellmate for some food items.
The autopsy revealed that the cellmate died of acute fentanyl poisoning, said the USAO.
“The ripple effect of the damage done by people who distribute fentanyl impacts virtually every facet of society,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.
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“The potential to cause another individual’s death with each dose handed out is a constant dark threat and those responsible for doling it out will suffer the consequences of playing fast and loose with other people’s lives. We’re proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
This case resulted from an investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case.
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