MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama says that someone has been found guilty on federal charges for selling fentanyl that caused death. This is the first time in River Region history that someone has been found guilty of this crime.
Lawrence Coley III, 37, of Montgomery sold pills that looked like oxycodone but were made with fentanyl added to them. He was found guilty on Thursday of having fentanyl with the plan to sell it and selling a controlled substance that caused death.
Coley will probably get his sentence in a few months. He could spend 20 years to life in federal jail.
According to the police, Coley had been giving the victim drugs for more than a year. The study showed that these drug sales happened almost every day, and sometimes more than once.
It was also said in court that Coley gave the victim drugs the morning of August 26, 2022, which is when he died. The person was discovered dead in a car outside of a house. The keys were in the engine, and the doors were locked.
The government says that 70 blue pills with “M” on one side and “30” on the other were found in Coley’s home during a search. The way they were colored and marked also made them look like oxycodone pills.
Coley was caught with five more fake fentanyl pills when he was pulled over for speeding.
The medical examiner said the fentanyl killed the person, and an expert said he had four to five times the lethal amount in his blood.
The US Attorney for Alabama, Jonathan S. Ross, said, “Fentanyl-containing fake pills are now commonplace in Alabama and across the country.” “Everyone should think that any pill that doesn’t come from a doctor or pharmacy could have fentanyl or another drug that can kill them in it.” The people who sell these dangerous pills will be held responsible by my office.
“The top priority of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to hold responsible those individuals and drug trafficking groups that poison our communities with dangerous drugs like fentanyl,” said Steven Hofer, who is in charge of the DEA. “The conviction today is a step toward our goal of building teams that save lives and keep communities safe.” As we enjoy this victory, we must remember the terrible death that this person caused by not caring about human life at all. The sentence makes it clear that people who put money ahead of people will be held responsible.