Los Angeles Federal prosecutors said Thursday that a 21-year-old man from Santa Clarita has been charged with trafficking protonitazene, a potent synthetic opioid, which resulted in a deadly overdose earlier this year.
One count of protonitazene distribution leading to death is against Benjamin Anthony Collins. This drug is up to three times more strong than fentanyl, and this is thought to be the first criminal case in the United States involving a death connected to it.
In the early hours of April 19, 2024, Collins reportedly sold a 22-year-old resident of Stevenson Ranch pills containing protonitazene, according to the indictment. The guy died after taking the pills in his vehicle. When his mother found him unconscious in the car parked outside her house, she dialed 911.
Collins entered a not guilty plea during his court on Wednesday after being detained on November 18. In anticipation of his trial, which is set to start on January 14, 2025, he is being held without bond. Collins faces a required minimum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a potential life sentence if found guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst is prosecuting the case, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are spearheading the investigation.
Novel synthetic opioids, such as protonitazene, which are marketed online and offer a high risk of lethal overdoses, are a growing menace, according to authorities.
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