TAMPA, Fla. — Months after a University of South Florida student accidentally overdosed on fentanyl, four people have been charged in connection to his death, U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg said Thursday.
The investigation began around 10:20 a.m. on Feb. 16 in a residence hall on the USF campus in Tampa. USF police said they were called to a dorm room after getting reports of an unresponsive student inside.
When they arrived, police said they attempted rescue efforts but the student was already dead. Police said at the time they had no reason to believe foul play was involved in the student's death.
Then came the autopsy results. Handberg said the medical examiner's office was able to determine a lethal dose of fentanyl was in the student's system when he died; no other lethal drugs were present.
Handberg said Hillsborough County Sheriff's investigators were able to determine the student had bought the fentanyl from Darrius Gustafson, thinking he was getting Percocet pills.
After identifying Gustafson, Handberg said undercover detectives made several drug buys from him before being able to arrest him. But the investigation didn't end there, the U.S. attorney said.
"The law enforcement agencies on this case are skilled in investigating drug trafficking cases and in this case, they did what they do so well in every overdose case," Handberg said Thursday. "They conducted a thorough and methodical investigation in which they followed up on each and every lead. Their goals were to do justice for the victim, to hold accountable everyone who was involved in causing the victim's death and to prevent any further deaths."
Handberg said detectives dug deeper, uncovering Gustafson's supplier, David Chudhabuddhi. Chudhabuddhi was later arrested along with other suppliers Marquise Trant and Miguel Cintron.
The day after Cintron was arrested, a search warrant at his home resulted in a large amount of cocaine and heroin, along with more than $200,000 in cash and multiple guns.
The four men were indicted on nine counts by a federal grand jury. Each has been charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and distributing the drug. Additional drug distribution charges were handed out, too, Handberg said. Cintron was additionally charged with possessing a gun as a convicted felon and intent to distribute cocaine.
Fentanyl, according to Handberg, is the leading cause of death for people ages 18-24.