Home / Crime and Justice / Fentanyl Death Leads to 25-Year Sentence Under New Law
Fentanyl Death Leads to 25-Year Sentence Under New Law
11 Sep
Summary
- Man sentenced to 25 years for fentanyl-related death.
- New state law allowed felony murder charges for fentanyl deaths.
- Victim was 16; dealer knew about overdose risks.
In Ector County, a 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a fentanyl-related death. Nathaniel Martinez was convicted under a new state law that permits felony murder charges when the manufacture or delivery of fentanyl results in a death.
The charges stem from the overdose death of 16-year-old Damien Aguilar on October 2, 2023. Investigations, including phone and message data, linked Martinez to supplying Aguilar with fentanyl pills.
Martinez, who was 18 at the time of the offense, admitted to selling a large quantity of fentanyl pills daily and was aware of the potential for fatal overdoses, having witnessed several non-fatal ones. The law under which he was charged had been active for only a month prior to Aguilar's death.
