A St. Peters man has been handed a 14-year prison sentence for distributing fentanyl, a drug implicated in a deadly overdose and a non-fatal hospitalization incident, according to a recent statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. In 2019, Zachary Hovis, 24, sold fentanyl-laced drugs to two women on the same day, resulting in one death and another suffering an overdose.
On Nov. 16, Hovis provided the powerful opioid to an 18-year-old woman at a country club parking lot in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The woman, who had close ties with Hovis, tragically, was discovered unconscious soon after at a nearby business location. Despite a naloxone attempt by a bystander, she succumbed to fentanyl intoxication as concluded by a medical examiner. Later that same day, another woman purchased what she thought was oxycodone from Hovis, realized her error, and self-reported a possible overdose, before receiving treatment at a hospital.
During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Becker highlighted the defendant's reckless approach to his illicit trade, such as using social media to advertise, and flaunting his cash profits. According to the statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Becker noted that Hovis had reached out with a drug offer to the 18-year-old on the day of her fatal overdose and continued to sell narcotics following her death.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colin Dickey from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) underscored the difficulty of these cases yet pointed to the outcome as a “reward for the hard work.” Dickey stated, "The sentencing of a man who dealt drugs and killed someone brings some justice to the victim’s family and friends." The efforts of the DEA and the St. Charles County Drug Task Force were crucial in securing the conviction against Hovis, who pled guilty to two counts of fentanyl distribution last June.
