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Date: 04-05-2024
Case Style:
Case Number: 3:23-CR-51
Judge: M. Casey Rodgers
Court: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Leon County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee
Defendant's Attorney:
Description:
Two Okaloosa County Men Sentenced To Federal Prison For Fentanyl Overdose Death In Jail
Chase Gary, 30, and Joshua Gervais, 28, both of Okaloosa, Florida, were sentenced to 30 years and 14 years in federal prison, respectively, after previously pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in the death of another. Each will be required to serve a term of three years supervised release following their imprisonment. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Hundreds of individuals are killed every day in communities throughout our country due to the distribution of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “Each of these deaths are a tragedy, robbing individuals of their promise and crippling families left behind with unimaginable grief. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute traffickers for their callous disregard for human life. This sentence serves as a significant deterrent to drug traffickers and demonstrates our continued resolve to hold them accountable.”
On the morning of December 24, 2022, Gervais notified jail staff that his cellmate at the Okaloosa County Jail was not breathing. The jail staff attempted CPR and other life-saving measures without success and the cellmate was pronounced dead. The ensuing investigation revealed that Gary, who was housed in the next cell, smuggled fentanyl pills into the jail inside his body. Once inside the jail, Gary gave some of the pills to Gervais, who traded them with his cellmate for some food items. The autopsy revealed that the cellmate died of acute fentanyl poisoning.
“The ripple effect of the damage done by people who distribute fentanyl impacts virtually every facet of society,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “The potential to cause another individual’s death with each dose handed out is a constant dark threat and those responsible for doling it out will suffer the consequences of playing fast and loose with other people’s lives. We’re proud to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement partners to hold them accountable.”
“Drug overdose and poisoning deaths in our country are overwhelmingly caused by a synthetic opioid like fentanyl. We need our communities to understand that all it takes is one pill, just one fake pill made from illicit fentanyl, to end a life,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA remains committed to working with our local law enforcement partners and using all of our available resources to identify the drug distributors in our communities and hold them accountable for their actions.”
This case resulted from an investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
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