A fentanyl trafficker whose customer died of an overdose minutes after the sale was sentenced to 30 years in prison Friday, State Attorney Larry Basford announced.
Nicholas Sterling Chagnon, 42, of Parker, pled guilty to Manslaughter, Trafficking in Fentanyl (4-14 grams), and Sale or Delivery of Fentanyl Friday. He was then sentenced to 30 years in prison, with the first 3 years being minimum-mandatory.
Prosecutor Peter Overstreet was prepared to call witnesses and present evidence proving Chagnon sold a fatal dose of fentanyl to his 34-year-old victim on July 15, 2025 at a beach business. The victim paid the defendant $60 for .5 grams of fentanyl and overdosed minutes later in the business’ restroom.
“Over and over again we see these traffickers selling a highly dangerous and unpredictable drug without a care in the world for the consequences,” Overstreet said. “It is not a secret to them that fentanyl is not only very potent, but that the potency of each dose can vary wildly and it’s deadly.
“The Panama City Beach Police Department knows this as well and we are grateful for the time
and effort they put into the case that helped resolve it without a trial.”
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The evidence would have shown that the defendant met the victim at a beach business to sell him .5 grams of fentanyl on July 15, 2025. The victim went straight to the restroom, ingested a portion of the drug and died.
The investigation, which included surveillance video from the business and CashApp data history, helped identify the defendant as the seller. The following day, July 16, 2025, the defendant was pulled over on Front Beach Road for texting and driving in a crowded area. A PCBPD K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics in the vehicle and a search turned up 5.2 grams of fentanyl in four baggies.
The defendant admitted selling the fentanyl to the victim.
Basford thanked the Panama City Beach Police Department for its thorough investigation that helped lead to a successful outcome. For more information, contact Mike Cazalas at mike.cazalas@sa14.fl.gov, or call 850-381-7454.