In an admission of guilt that reverberated through federal court today, San Diego resident Scott Anthony Sargent pled guilty to supplying the lethal doses of fentanyl that claimed the lives of two individuals in a North Park home back in 2022. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the incident that led to Sargent's arrest followed a 911 call to a residence where the police discovered the dire scene.
It was on November 10, 2022, when authorities, in response to quickly approaching and managing the situation, found four people unresponsive due to suspected drug overdoses. Tragically, two of the victims were declared deceased on the scene, while Sargent and one other were administered Narcan and taken to a hospital for treatment—both ultimately surviving. The plea agreement saw Sargent acknowledging that he distributed a fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl mix that resulted in the fatalities.
Evidence tying Sargent to the overdose case was discovered not only at the location of the tragedy but also within a storage locker linked to him. Officials located methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fentanyl analogs in his belongings on-site, as well as additional drugs and firearms in the storage unit.
Sargent's backpack and duffel bag were found to contain significant amounts of controlled substances, with law enforcement confiscating over 750 grams of fentanyl/para-fluorofentanyl and methamphetamine combined. The plea comes as a sobering reminder of the ongoing fentanyl crisis and the justice system's resolve to vigorously prosecute those involved in its distribution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Sargent faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison for his actions.
Scheduled for April 4, Sargent's sentencing before U.S. District Judge Robert Huie is the next event in a case that underscores the lethal risks of fentanyl and its analogs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Gordon and Sarah Goldwasser are prosecuting the case under the auspices of ongoing collaborations between various agencies committed to curbing the tide of fentanyl-related deaths.
