South Carolina – A South Carolina man will spend the next two decades in federal prison after admitting to distributing a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl that led to the death of a 20-year-old University of South Carolina student.
U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced 37-year-old Vernon Antwan Martin to 240 months behind bars. The sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Because the case was prosecuted in federal court, there is no possibility of parole. The court also ordered Martin to pay nearly $19,000 in restitution to the victim’s family.
According to the Department of Justice, the investigation began in May 2023, when Columbia Police officers were asked to conduct a welfare check at an apartment in the city. Family and friends had grown alarmed after they were unable to reach the young woman. Officers arrived and discovered her deceased inside the residence. An autopsy later confirmed she had died from a fentanyl overdose.
As authorities retraced her final days, evidence pointed to a transaction that took place on May 30, 2023. Investigators determined that Martin had provided the victim with a pill she believed to be Percocet. Instead, the tablet contained fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid measured in micrograms but capable of shutting down breathing in minutes.
After her death, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration searched Martin’s home. Inside, they found additional narcotics, a firearm, and approximately $30,000 in cash. Federal and local law enforcement worked jointly to build the case that ultimately led to his conviction and sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina said the case illustrates the lethal risk of taking pills that are not prescribed by a legitimate health care provider.
“There is always danger in taking prescription pills that are not prescribed to you by a legitimate health care provider. This case demonstrates how deadly a small amount of fentanyl can be,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina.
“This case is the result of law enforcement coordination at the local and federal level, and we’ll continue to aggressively prosecute those who bring fentanyl into our community. Our hearts are with this young woman’s family and loved ones as they remember a life cut short.”
Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division, described the case as another example of the devastation caused by counterfeit pills circulating in communities nationwide.
“This case is a tragic example of the deadly consequences of counterfeit pills,” said Chung.
“The victim thought they were purchasing Percocet, but they were handed fentanyl, a synthetic opioid driving overdose deaths across our nation. The defendant knew exactly what he was selling. As the DEA continues its Fentanyl-Free America campaign, today’s sentencing underscores our mission to protect communities and aggressively pursue those who knowingly distribute lethal substances.”
Columbia Police Chief W. H. “Skip” Holbrook said his department worked closely with federal partners to ensure accountability. He warned the public that taking pills obtained outside legitimate medical channels carries extreme danger, underscoring that a single tablet can be deadly.
The case was investigated by the DEA and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Ariyana Gore handled the prosecution, bringing the case to its conclusion with a 20-year sentence that federal officials say underscores the grave consequences of distributing fentanyl.
