Murder conviction for man accused of selling drugs in Placer County fentanyl death
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Brandon Wayne Garner was convicted of second-degree murder in a fentanyl death.
- Garner was accused of selling the synthetic opioid drug in Placer County.
- The murder conviction stemmed from the death of a Rocklin father who ingested fentanyl.
A man accused of selling fentanyl, a dangerous and addictive drug, was convicted of second-degree murder on Tuesday in connection with the July 2023 death of a Rocklin father who ingested the synthetic opioid.
Brandon Wayne Garner, 44, has been in custody at the Placer County Jail since Oct. 24, 2023, after he was arrested on a homicide charge stemming from the fentanyl death.
Garner returned Tuesday afternoon to Placer Superior Court where he entered a new plea and was convicted of second-degree murder in the fentanyl-related death, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced in a Facebook post.
Prosecutors did not provide any further details about Garner’s conviction, including whether he was convicted of the 15 felony drug trafficking and drug possession charges he faced. Court records show Garner’s trial was scheduled to begin Monday, but the trial is now vacated.
Garner is now scheduled to be sentenced March 23.
As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Drug dealers mix fentanyl, because of its potency and low cost, with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which increases the likelihood of a fatal dose, according to the DEA. It’s possible for someone to take a pill without knowing it contains fentanyl or whether it contains a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Authorities say fentanyl can be sold as pills with some online dealers claiming the pills are Xanax, Percocet and Oxycodone. Fentanyl also can come in powder and vape pens.
High-profile criminal cases in the Sacramento area have involved evidence showing young people using their social media accounts, such as Snapchat, to sell or find fentanyl to buy.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire’s office has filed murder charges against seven defendants accused in Placer County fentanyl deaths. Garner’s is the fourth fentanyl death case in the county that has ended in a homicide conviction; the three other criminal cases are still pending.
