Anthony P. Tognietti, Oxycodone and Fentanyl Distribution, North Carolina 2023
Former Marines Sentenced in Fentanyl Distribution Case
Raleigh, NC - In a shocking turn of events, two former Camp Lejeune Marines were sentenced in federal court for their roles in distributing oxycodone and fentanyl linked to the death of a fellow Marine.
According to the investigation, on April 14, 2017, a United States Marine Corporal and Marcos Jamie Villegas were visiting at a local residence in Richlands, North Carolina. During the party, Villegas provided the Corporal with pills that he and Anthony P. Tognietti had purchased over the dark web. The pills had been advertised as oxycodone laced with fentanyl, a highly powerful opiate that can be lethal in even small doses.
In the early hours of April 15, 2017, Villegas discovered the Corporal unresponsive. The Corporal was taken to Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and died shortly after his arrival. The Corporal's autopsy revealed his cause of death as fentanyl overdose and low alcohol content. The Corporal was just 20 years old at the time of his death.
Investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) revealed that just a few weeks later, similar pills were seized from Villegas's barracks room. The pills were later sent off for testing and came back positive for fentanyl. Examination of Villegas's cellular phone revealed text messages discussing purchases of drugs. Further coordination by NCIS with the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration linked the pills purchased by Villegas and Tognietti to a manufacturer and dark web distributor in Texas.
On [Date], in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced Anthony P. Tognietti, 27, of Paradise, California, to 3 years imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Villegas, 24, of St. Charles, Illinois, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. Both Tognietti and Villegas were recently separated from the United States Marine Corps as a result of their federal prosecution.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Laura S. Howard represented the government.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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