Michigan – Two individuals from Kalamazoo County have been given long federal prison sentences for their roles in a mass fentanyl poisoning in 2023 that killed seven people and sent numerous others to the hospital. Andrew Byerly Birge, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, gave James Smith, 42, a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death. Patrick Donald Martin, 27, was sentenced to four years for using a communication device to commit the same conspiracy.
According to the Department of Justice, The incident in question happened on April 12 and 13, 2023, when emergency workers in the Kalamazoo area rushed to deal with a dramatic spike in drug overdoses. The event overwhelmed local hospitals and devastated families. Authorities later verified that the material involved was laced with fentanyl, not cocaine as was first thought. Investigators quickly traced the source of the drugs to Martin and, ultimately, Smith.
Court records say that Smith and Martin said they didn’t know they were selling fentanyl, but it didn’t save them from harsh punishment. Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou made it clear throughout the sentencing that drug trading is never safe, especially now that fentanyl is everywhere. Judge Jarbou said it was “inexplicable” that Smith maintained selling narcotics even after he knew that his actions had led to a terrible mass poisoning…