A 34-year-old Maui man, Jose Elias Camacho, has been handed a 12-year sentence for trafficking fentanyl which led to a fatality. Camacho, who pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in June 2024, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

In August 2020, Camacho sold fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a 24-year-old man, who overdosed but was revived by first responders. After being hospitalized, the man bought more pills from Camacho. "Camacho admitted knowing the victim had just been hospitalized," the U.S. Attorney's Office reported. The next day, the man was found dead from a drug overdose. Camacho continued selling the fake pills and was arrested in October 2020 during a sting operation. Police found about 400 counterfeit pills in his possession. Fentanyl, which is often made by Mexican drug cartels.

"This sentence sends a powerful message that dealers whose  products contain lethal doses of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, will face severe consequences for contributing to the scourge of overdose deaths on our community," said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 2022, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were responsible for 73,838 of the 107,941 overdose deaths in the U.S. The operation that led to Camacho's arrest was a collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Administration and Maui Police, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohammad Khatib and Michael Albanese handling the case.