FLORIDA — A couple from Lake Worth has pled guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 10-month-old baby and for being felons in unlawful possession of firearms, following a lengthy investigation by local and federal authorities, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and other law enforcement agencies.
Samantha Yi, 32, entered a guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Her boyfriend, Darnell Mendez, 31, pled guilty to the same charges on July 25, 2024.
Their guilty pleas follow a joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The investigation began after the tragic death of an infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl in March 2022.
The incident occurred on March 31, 2022, when PBSO responded to a 911 call from a home in Boynton Beach. The baby, who was in distress, was transported to Bethesda Hospital East and later transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla. Despite medical intervention, the infant passed away on April 5, 2022.
An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be fentanyl intoxication, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Law enforcement officials conducted an extensive homicide investigation, uncovering that the baby’s parents were addicted to fentanyl and had been using the drug regularly in their apartment’s kitchen. The baby, who was teething at the time, reportedly ingested fentanyl on March 31 while in the care of her mother. The father was at work when the incident occurred.
The mother was later arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.
The investigation led to the discovery that Ms Yi had supplied the fentanyl and was the couple’s drug dealer. Investigators traced months of communication between Yi and the mother, which involved several drug transactions. Law enforcement was able to confirm that Ms Yi sold fentanyl to the mother on March 30, 2022, just one day before the baby ingested the drug that led to her death.
To further dismantle the drug network, the DEA, BBPD, PBSO, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) launched an undercover operation. During the operation, two undercover officers reportedly purchased fentanyl from Ms Yi and Mr Mendez, culminating in their arrests on March 6, 2023.
A search of their residence in Lake Worth is said to have uncovered 14 firearms. Both Ms Yi and Mr Mendez, as convicted felons, were prohibited from possessing firearms.
According to the USAO, the guilty pleas mark a significant development in the case, which has drawn attention to the ongoing opioid crisis and the dangers of fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that is said to be 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Prosecutors highlighted the role of drug dealers in distributing deadly substances that often have catastrophic consequences for families and communities.
As part of their plea agreements, both defendants face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years, with the potential for life imprisonment. Mr Mendez is scheduled to be sentenced on October 29, 2024, while a sentencing hearing for Ms Yi has not yet been set.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter, ATF Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson, BBPD Chief Joe DeGiulio, and PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw announced the guilty pleas in a joint statement, crediting the collaborative efforts of local and federal agencies for their work in bringing the case to justice.
The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance in the prosecution, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch leading the case.
