Marcus Ray Chavez, a resident of Bonita, CA, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting his involvement in the sex trafficking of a minor and distributing fentanyl, which led to the young girl's fatal overdose. Chavez, aged 30, acknowledged he had provided the 15-year-old with two counterfeit "M30" pills containing fentanyl on at least four occasions between September and November 2022. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he was also aware of her being underage.

On November 12, 2022, the victim tragically overdosed on pills provided by Chavez. Following his guilty plea, Chavez is facing a mandatory minimum of 20 years in custody, the required statutory penalty for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, "This heartbreaking case brings home the devastation caused by fentanyl," said Attorney Tara McGrath in the U.S. Attorney's Office press release. "For his role as the dealer in this tragedy, the defendant will spend at least the next 20 years of his life in prison," added McGrath, encapsulating the severe impact of the opioid crisis on communities.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen Roth and Katherine E.A. McGrath are prosecuting this case. The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team (formerly known as Team 10) with support from the San Diego Police Department, is part of a larger collaborative operation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and other agencies.

The charges faced by Chavez include Sex Trafficking of a Minor, with a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a potential life sentence, and Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – carrying a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in prison and a $1 million fine.