‘One pill can kill you’: Sacramento-area authorities cite dangers of fetanyl-laced pills

U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott had a simple message at a news conference Thursday: “One pill can kill you,” Scott said, gesturing to a bag of fentanyl-laced pills to his left.

Representatives from law enforcement agencies in the Sacramento region gathered Thursday for a news conference to warn the public about the dangers of fentanyl. Overdose deaths from the powerful narcotic have increased dramatically in the region.

At 10 a.m., Scott began speaking in front of large images of fentanyl-laced pills outside the Robert T. Matsui United States Courthouse in Sacramento. The U.S. attorney said the drug, typically manufactured in China and trafficked through Mexico, is highly potent, 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

The proper medical use for fentanyl is for patients managing chronic pain, like terminal cancer patients, through a slow-release patch. However, fentanyl has proven to be a cheap, and lethal, option to lace in opioid pills.

Many suffering from addiction who began with prescription pills turn to illicit drugs for cheaper, more available alternatives. Scott said people may think they are buying Percoset and actually end up with a deadly amount of fentanyl.

Placer County’s fentanyl-related deaths increased from zero to six from 2018 to 2019. In Sacramento County, deaths increased from 14 to 25. In San Joaquin County, the numbers went from three to 11. In Solano County, deaths jumped from five to 16.

“I can tell you that the numbers from 2020, once we have those final numbers, are going to be dramatically greater than they were in 2019,” Scott said.

Scott, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California, held the event in conjunction with Dr. Aimee Moulin, a member of the Sacramento County Opioid Coalition; Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux; Federal Bureau of Investigations Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King and district attorneys from area counties.

Moulin, a professor of emergency medicine at UC Davis, warned that while healthcare providers are occupied with the coronavirus, they are continuing to face another pandemic of substance abuse.

“We know that social isolation and economic insecurity are a setup for substance abuse disorders,” Moulin said.

The doctor emphasized that the stigma surrounding drug abuse is an obstacle for people reaching out for treatment, which is effective and necessary, as it is with other medical diseases.

Moulin also said that having naloxone, a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an overdose, on hand can save someone’s life.

Scott introduced a three-pronged approach to fight the threat of fentanyl, including treatment, education and prosecution. He called on parents to take the time to talk to their children about the extreme danger fentanyl poses.

While often marketed as pills of another substance, fentanyl-laced drugs are produced illegally by people without any medical or pharmaceutical training. A very slight increase in dosage could result in an overdose, due to the strength of the substance.

Scott highlighted a case in Fresno County that resulted in a 30-year sentence for Darnell Pearson, who was convicted of selling cocaine laced with fentanyl. The batch of drugs resulted in the overdose deaths of two users and the overdoses of two survivors.

Comeaux, of the DEA, warned those selling the drug that the profit was not worth the time they would face in prison if connected to an overdose.

“We will come after you if you’re selling this poison in our area,” Comeaux said.

El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson criticized the more lenient punishments for drug crimes in the state of California, but expressed gratitude that partnerships with federal agencies allowed for harsher prison sentences for those convicted of selling fentanyl.

Ragan, who represented Sacramento’s FBI field office, said the bureau is taking steps to prosecute anyone who traffics the substance. He also said the FBI is monitoring the dark web, investigating those who sell on illicit websites and working to close the virtual marketplaces.

Pierson encouraged parents to warn children and teenagers who may idolize celebrities who have abused drugs. The DA named Demi Lovato and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who died of an overdose in 2019, as potential role models children should be wary of imitating.

“My message is simple. Don’t do it for fun. Don’t do it for recreation,” Comeaux said.