The Brief
- Freddie Anthony Avila, 29, was sentenced to eight years in state prison for supplying the lethal fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a Tempe man.
- Avila pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter and drug charges after initially being indicted as the second person in county history under Arizona’s strict lethal fentanyl law.
- Investigators tracked Avila down using text messages from the victim’s phone and arrested him during a traffic stop months after the crime.
TEMPE, Ariz. – A man at the center of a landmark drug overdose case in Maricopa County was sentenced to eight years in state prison on Thursday for supplying the fentanyl that killed a Valley man last year.
What we know:
Freddie Anthony Avila, 29, pleaded guilty to felony charges of reckless manslaughter and transporting or selling narcotic drugs in connection with the March 2025 death of 47-year-old Chris Joseph. Avila had initially garnered widespread attention after becoming only the second person in county history to be indicted under Arizona’s strict “Sale of Lethal Fentanyl” law, a charge that was ultimately amended as part of a plea agreement.…