OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. - Chase Gary, 30, and Joshua Gervais, 28, both of Okaloosa, Florida, admitted to distributing fentanyl in jail that caused another person's death.
They were sentenced to 30 years and 14 years in federal prison, respectively.
After serving their term, each will have to serve a three-year sentence of supervised release.
“Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Each of these deaths are a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute traffickers for their callous disregard for human life. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our continued resolve to hold them accountable.”
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On December 24, 2022, Gervais notified jail staff that his cellmate at the Okaloosa County Jail was not breathing.
The jail staff attempted CPR and other life-saving measures without success, and the cellmate was pronounced dead.
The ensuing investigation revealed that Gary, who was housed in the next cell, smuggled fentanyl pills into the jail inside his body.
Once inside the jail, Gary gave some of the pills to Gervais, who traded them with his cellmate for some food items. The autopsy revealed that the cellmate died of acute fentanyl poisoning.
“The ripple effect of the damage done by people who distribute fentanyl impacts virtually every facet of society,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “The potential to cause another individual’s death with each dose handed out is a constant dark threat and those responsible for doling it out will suffer the consequences of playing fast and loose with other people’s lives. We’re proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
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“Drug overdose and poisoning deaths in our country are overwhelmingly caused by a synthetic opioid like fentanyl. We need our communities to understand that all it takes is one pill, just one fake pill made from illicit fentanyl, to end a life,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to working with our local law enforcement partners and using all of our available resources to identify the drug distributors in our communities and hold them accountable for their actions.”
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