WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. – A Wesley Chapel man, Jared Collins, 27, has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to an individual, resulting in that individual’s death. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the plea agreement, on December 16, 2019, Collins distributed narcotics to an individual in Wesley Chapel who injected the narcotics and then died. Family members found the individual and immediately called 911.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and located a hypodermic syringe and a plastic bag, both of which tested positive for fentanyl. Law enforcement also recovered a cellphone, which showed Collins had supplied the individual with the narcotics earlier that day.
The Medical Examiner’s Office for Pasco and Pinellas County determined that the individual died from fentanyl toxicity.
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The following day, December 17, 2019, Collins was arrested as he was attempting to distribute narcotics. Following his arrest, law enforcement officers found two syringes in his car, and two hypodermic syringes and a spoon with residue in his pocket, all of which tested positive for fentanyl.
Law enforcement officers also executed a federal search warrant at Collins’s residence, recovering numerous items of drug paraphernalia, empty capsules containing traces of fentanyl, assorted spoons, straws, clear baggies, and approximately 20 syringes, all of which were found in Collins’ bedroom.
On March 26, 2020, after bonding out of state custody, Collins again distributed fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Pasco and Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Offices.
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