A drug dealer who sold what turned out to be a fatal dose of drugs to a 17-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in prison today after pleading guilty to Manslaughter, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Patrick Kelley Jones, 28, was given the maximum sentence by Circuit Judge Timothy Register for selling fentanyl-laced pills to a juvenile who died in 2021 after taking what he thought was the pain killer Roxicodone.
Prosecutor Peter Overstreet was prepared to call witnesses and produce evidence gathered by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office proving that Jones sold the pills that ended up killing the juvenile and tried to cover his tracks after he learned of the death.
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The evidence would have shown that on July 24, 2021, the victim was found dead in his bedroom with a plastic baggie containing pills – stamped “M” on one side and “30” on the other – on a nearby table. The markings indicated the pills were Roxicodone, but test results showed they contained fentanyl. Subsequent tests showed the cause of death as Fentanyl Toxicity.
“This case is a tragic example of the dangers of selling drugs in our community,” Overstreet said. “A young man lost his life due to the fentanyl epidemic that is infecting our community. We will continue to punish those who deal drugs in our community to the fullest extent of the law.”
Information and witnesses gathered by the Sheriff’s Office showed the victim bought the pills from the defendant the day before his death. When the defendant found out about the overdose, the evidence showed he changed his residence and phone number but continued to sell the pills.
Basford thanked the Bay County Sheriff’s Office for its work in building a strong case that led to a guilty plea.
For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.