Deaths from Counterfeit Pills in Alaska, California, and Washington

Counterfeits ICE confiscated in California in 2016.

Virtually every state in the Union has a serious problem with counterfeit pills made with fentanyl. During the month of September we have found reports of counterfeit pill deaths in Alaska, California, and Washington.

 Alaska

KUCB reports that the community of Sand Point experienced a pair of overdoses caused by counterfeit blue oxycodone pills made with fentanyl. On August 31st, a man was found unresponsive and had to be treated by paramedics and transferred to a local clinic for treatment before recovering. Then a day later, a 26-year-old woman named Raylene Kochuten died as a result of taking one of the pills. Local authorities report two men have been arrested in connection with the distribution of the fake pills.

 California

KTLA revealed that hip-hop artist Mac Miller died as the result of taking counterfeit oxycodone made with fentanyl. The news broke concerning his cause of death when authorities revealed charges against a local man for supplying Miller with the deadly fake pills. On September 23rd, ABC 15 in Arizona reported that a second person, Ryan Reavis, a resident of Lake Havasu City, was arrested in connection with the case.

In San Diego, KSWT describes the guilty plea by a local man named James Stacuzzi, who was accused of selling deadly counterfeit oxycodone. According to KSWT, one man who took the fake pills died less than half an hour after swallowing it.

 Washington

The Yakima Herald reports that there were three deaths in five days due to deadly fake Oxycontin pills. Yakima County coroner Jim Curtice warned that the pills appear to contain a lethal amount of fentanyl and have been sent to the State crime lab for testing.