A Boulder County man is facing a charge of manslaughter after reportedly selling fentanyl pills to a person who later died of an overdose.
Terrelle Lucero, 25, is charged with manslaughter, five controlled substance charges, illegal possession of a firearm, introduction of contraband and driving under restraint, according to online court records.
According to a release from the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office, the Boulder County Drug Task Force identified Lucero as having sold fentanyl to a person who suffered a fatal overdose on April 25.
On May 26, law enforcement officers arranged a controlled buy with Lucero, who was arrested at the exchange. Officers found more than 75 fentanyl pills on Lucero and a small black scale with white residue and a handgun in his vehicle.
Manslaughter can be charged in Colorado when a person “recklessly causes the death of another person.”
Lucero is the second person in Boulder County to be charged with manslaughter in connection with a fentanyl death.
“I greatly appreciate the hard work and skill that the Boulder County Drug Task Force poured into this investigation,” Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a statement. “Because of their efforts, this investigation quickly resulted in the filing of criminal charges. Fentanyl dealers who seek to profit from the addiction of others should be held fully accountable.”
Because of Colorado law at the time of the victim’s death, Lucero faces a presumptive sentence of four to 12 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter. Since then, a new bill passed that increases the presumptive sentence to eight to 32 years years in prison.
“This office strongly supported and participated in the work on the fentanyl bill, in part, because of the need for stronger penalties for those that distribute fentanyl and, especially, those that cause deaths,” the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Lucero could still be facing up to 32 years in prison due to the drug charges, some of which are special offender counts.
Lucero, who is out on bond, is set for a preliminary hearing June 23.
A booking photo and affidavit for Lucero were not immediately available.
The identity of the victim and the location of the death was not identified in the release.
Source: Read Full Article