A Santa Clarita man is expected to plead guilty Friday to a federal charge in what is considered the nation’s first criminal case involving a death caused by the synthetic opioid protonitazene.
Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, has agreed to enter a plea in downtown Los Angeles to a single count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Federal prosecutors say the narcotic is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl…