US man gets 10 years for fake oxycodone offences

A man from Claymont in Delaware has received a more than 10 years in federal prison for possession of fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl with intent to supply.

Charles Crest (29) was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in May 2020 after he sold over a thousand of the counterfeit pills to an undercover officer. A subsequent search of his apartment revealed another 4,000 pills stashed in a dishwasher, and more than $5,400 in cash.

More than 70,000 Americans died from drug-involved overdose in 2018, including illicit drugs and prescription opioids, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost twice the number recorded in 2010.

Synthetic opioids other than methadone – primarily fentanyl that is frequently found in counterfeit pills – accounted for 36,359 overdose deaths reported in 2019. A lethal dose of fentanyl can be as little as 2mg, although that can vary based on an individual's body size, tolerance, amount of previous usage and other factors.

"Selling illegal drugs, especially fentanyl made to appear as legitimate pharmaceutical oxycodone, is a potentially deadly practice that contributes to the pernicious effects of the opioid epidemic," said David Weiss US Attorney for the District of Delaware.

"To ensure the safety of our community, we will seek significant federal prison sentences against all who seek to profit from such drug peddling," he added.